The next Round of The Circle of Life
by TakaPL
Summary: After years of prosperity to Prideland and others Lion Lands came the Second Drought. Brave lionesses and lions have to fight against hostile elements in order to survive and to save traditions of pride. Sequel to TSH and TGQ, split into 3 parts
1. I The new sun rises

The next Round (of The Circle of Life)

The next Round (of The Circle of Life)

Dramatis Personae (in alphabetical order):

Akra – lioness from Golden Sands.

Amali – daughter of Vitani and Tanabi, mate of Mtanga.

Anasa – mate of Dhahabu

Baka – young lioness from Golden Sands.

Baridi – rogue lion from Mtanga's pack

Beluwa – lioness from Golden Sands.

Biti – lioness from Pridelands.

Cheka – lioness from Pridelands.

Dahabu - older son of Vitani and Tanabi, new king of Priderock

Dhalimu – son of Kiara and Kovu, king of Golden Sands.

Hodari – king of Sahel Plains.

Hofu – rogue lion from Mtanga's pack

Kadiri – lioness of Green Valley.

Kauli – ball python, adviser and chamberlain in Golden Sands court.

Kijani – young king of Green Valley.

Kimeta – queen of Green Valley.

Kinamu – shaman, mandrill.

Kivuli – lioness of Sahel Plains.

Kota – lioness from Golden Sands.

Mtanga – Amali's mate, rogue who came to Priderock in beginning of the Second Drought.

Niva – white lioness, queen of Golden Sands.

Njaa – old leader of rogues pack.

Raia – lioness from Golden Sands, queen Niva's sister

Simmi - lioness from Golden Sands.

Taka the Second – son of Vitani and Tanabi

Udole - rogue lion from Mtanga's pack

About six years after The Scar's Heir

I. The new sun rises.

Starting song. As in previous stories – you have to invent your own melody. I suggest something dignified and a bit mysterious. Three, two, one, go!

A capture of Pridelands from the air. Sun is slowly setting, now is half-sunken on horizon. Priderock is enlighten by blood-red light. We see mournful procession of lionesses and lions, coming down from main rock-ledge. Two males – one mighty, goldenfurred and goldenmaned and the second – a bit smaller, significantly thinner with sandy fur, black mane and light-red beard: they are carrying motionless body of just deceased ruler. Old lion has red mane and scary-looking scar on face (precisely: over his left eye). We recognize that is Tanabi – weaken and wearied by long years of ruling on Priderock. After then a group of lionesses is going. On it's tail is walking a pair – goldenfurred lioness and lion with grey mane. She is crying, he tries to comfort her.

_Since the day of our birth and a days of cub's time_

_Life is flowing down, faster quickly passing its prime _

_Waterfall of our youth, backwater's maturity_

_Divine spark going further to fade out in the sea_

_And like river ends its float in the ocean of night_

_Breathing of every creature meets the end of its plight_

Zoom-out – we see that savannah in the area is dried and sun-scorched. In few places we can see piles of bones of dead animals. Over that sad-looking landscape slowly is flying old, green-feathered hornbill. We notice that is Tiko.

_You just won't stop that current with the dame of your will_

_It is floating since always and it'll be floating still_

Tiko lowers his flight and stops over lions, that are carrying dead king's body. Then bird look with sadness on setting sun.

_You can stand on its bed but you know there's no use_

_To prevent run of water – like your end you can't choose_

We see distant host of animals, slowly coming to Priderock.

_And image you did it – and the current is gone_

_That means death, nothing more, you put down spark you own_

Creatures are gathering in ranks, almost like on new ruler's presentation. But now on animals faces a great grief and concern. Zoom-in on the body of fallen king – his motionless paw suddenly falls from shoulder of smaller lion and hangs freely. Young antelope, standing nearby, turns away her sight with heavy emotion.

Chorus:

_So go ahead and swim ahead_

_Don't waste your time_

Goldenfurred points with tail on pile of rock on Priderock's foot. Few lionesses come to that pan and slowly push away the stones. Tiko lands on boulder nearby.

_There's no use to stand and cry_

_Cause to live that means to die_

_And your days are going shorted every night_

A shot of stones, rolling on dried soil and causing a small clouds of dust. Blackmaned looks on it with sad stare and goldenmaned is proudly looking on horizon on the fading sun.

_Torrent's running into sea_

_Sun is fading in night's dim_

_Like an echo – death just a life's reply_

Zoon-in of face of blackmaned: in his tired eyes we see some pictures from the past. Vitani and Tanabi over tiny cub with dark fur, few meters away his older siblings are looking on that – a goldenfurred young lionesses and adolescent, goldenmaned lion.; Tanabi and Vitani leading the hunt, a bit older lion is going after parents.; Death of Vitani – lioness is passing with a peace on her face, lying in royal cave, surrounded by family. Blackmaned pretends to be easy and proud but two tears are flowing on his muzzle.; Old Tanabi is speaking with three of his children – blackmaned is listening with sadness, he says something to father, but he just nods with paw, calming down his son.; end of the vision – blackmaned is putting father's body to the stone-pan.

_Don't cry for those who've passed in that current of time_

_They have own days of glory, swimming in youthful prime_

_But then used to that truth there is all comes to end_

_And they peacefully drowned just behind river's bend_

_So let learn from theirs waves, hear the voices from past_

_There no use to save moment, in eternal put trust_

With his brother, he buries king's body with rock and gravel and when the last boulder is in place, all animals knell in absolute silence.

Chorus:

_So go ahead and swim ahead_

_Don't waste your time_

_Life is fading every day_

_But there is no other way_

_So this is the only way to be fulfilled_

Both lions are standing over the grave, looking on it but in the same time giving a discrete looks on each other. Camera is zooming-out and we see crying pride, still holding in bow and Tiko, flying over them.

_Look on those who paid their fare_

_We are there where once they were_

_They are now - where some day we certainly will_

Sun fades out. Music stops.

All the world, a warmth of evening, scorching dryness of desert wind and quiet sobbing of lionesses were coming to Taka like from beyond the thick veil. For long minutes he was standing over father's grave, next to the tomb of mother. In fact, he was barely aware where he was. Finally the voice of Dahabu called him back to the reality. His older brother started a funeral speech. Previously they had decided that they told it together.

„My father..." said goldenmaned, just like he was the only child of Tanabi. "...was a great king. His reign finished a tragic conflict between the Golden Pride and Pridelanders. He and my mother restored a harmony in the Circle of Life, that had been disturbed by argument between Scar and Mufasa. For the common good of your land and creatures living here, he decided to oppose his own father, Simba. He was ruling with strong but gentle paw, in spite of disablement he suffered. He was a master but also a father to every animal in our land. That why his deeds and achievements will be remembered here for generations. He left us in hard times, but he showed us the way how to survive the drought." Dry wind intensified and showered with sand gathered lions. One of lionesses sneezed, when dust got to her nose. But she instantly fell silent, ashamed by her faux-pas. Dahabu was talking still. "That why I humbly ask you: don't cry, because every drop of water is required to outlive that disaster. Holding in times of trial we will celebrate the memory of Tanabi in the best way we could!"

In spite of common grief among lionesses sounded a murmur of approval and admire to touching words of goldenmaned. But Taka was standing indifferent, looking on father's grave. Amali came to him and nudged his side.

"Will you say something?" she whispered.

"For what?" murmured blackmaned. "Dad knows what I want to say. Dahabu won't heat it, even if I was screaming with all my might.

It was because older son of Tanabi considered himself as a king already. He was standing before gathering – straight and serious, but sparks of pride were blinking in his eyes. Deceased king left no last will but everybody knew what was about to be. Amali knew too – she left her younger brother and went to funeral stones. Taka even didn't listen her speech, but he believed that she told something beautiful and wise.

Ceremony was over – lionesses went back to cave and Tiko flied to farewell gathered animals. On the cemetery left just Tanabi's children and Mtanga, Amali's mate. Taka was still standing closer to the grave, until majordomo came. Bird sat on Dahabu's shoulder ("Why on his shoulder?" asked Taka in mind. "My brother isn't the king yet!") and goldenmaned whispered something to his ear. Hornbill raised to further flight and Taka narrowed his eyes.

"Brother, we are going." Announced Amali. Obviously, she was talking to Dahabu, although her brother was also Taka. But goldenmaned just nodded his head and replied with calm voice.

"Good. Let Kings of the Past show you the way and let you establish a powerful pride. South Forest?"

"Yes, there still could be some herds there." Agreed greyfurred rogue.

"You know, that if something goes wrong... you could return here." Added Dahabu, but with tone that was suggesting something opposite.

"I'll be missing you, bro." Whispered Amali and licked goldenfurred cheek. "And you too, take care..." added quieter, coming to younger brother.

"Take care of what?" asked blackmaned but too quiet to be heard.

Pair of lions set off to south, to a bit wetter parts of savannah. If shock in Taka's mind and burning pain after his father's death, Taka would have wished them the best. But not in that moment. The youngest of Tanabi's children was slowly overcoming the emotional paralysis, but only to feel a growing anger on Dahabu. They were standing in silence, maybe even for few hours, still aren't knowing what to do and how to act.

"And what then?" asked Taka and coming blow of wind cover them in sandy dust.

"Come closer to Priderock." Instructed older brother and not waiting for reply he set off into home direction. They hid from wind in rock-pan next to western slope. Goldenmaned stood in centre of hutch, where was a big boulder. In cubhood, Tanabi's children were fighting for that stone, claiming that holder of boulder would be Pridelands king someday. Of course, younger and weaker Taka had been getting a regular beating in those struggles, but sometimes a wheel of fortune turned his way – he was inducing his sister to help him in fight and that way they sometimes overcame Dahabu. But Amali was not there to help and tiny Taka remained alone.

"You know, what is about to be." Said Dahabu.

"No." Lied blackmaned. "And father didn't know too. What why he hasn't decided who is to be his successor." Older brother smiled maliciously, hearing that.

"So, what it will be?" he raised his right paws and showed his claws. "Do you want to fight for the throne? Father would never allowed on this, but now..."

For shot moment young lion was seriously considering accepting a challenge. He didn't hope for victory, because that was possible only by miracle or thank to support from Kings of the Past. But for pure perversity, some voice in his mind was calling to extend this claws to and stand to the duel. "He wouldn't kill me." Thought Taka. "And if even Kings of the Past bless me, I wouldn't kill him too. We are brothers and blood-bond is a sacred thing. And he is older brother... I can't ignore that simple truth. Throne is destined for him." He extinguished in mind memories of humiliations from cub's times and replied.

"No. You will be king. I will leave Priderock."

"You always could..."

"Oh, shut up!" gasped Taka, hearing a mockery in brother's voice. "I will set of to Golden Sands tomorrow to announce aunt Kiara about dad's death. When I leave, you will do what you want."

"I'll do it even if you stay here." Goldenmaned smiled in malicious way. "Dawn is nearing and Tiko is already gathering animals..."

"WHAT?!" growled furious Taka. „Call them off! Don't you try to assume the throne until bereavement after out father is going on!"

"Kingdom has to be ruled by a king. Subjects have to be ruled by ruler." Reminded older of brothers.

And then Taka extended his claws. He even didn't realise what he was doing because wave of anger washed his mind. Dahabu wanted to proclaim himself as a king before his brother left the land. This not what was fixed in their unwritten agreement. Just like Amali, Taka was about to leave Pridelands before coronation and that why he hadn't had to pay a homage to the new ruler. He wanted to remain a prince. Maybe prince without land, but still free creature with undeniable title. As a king's son he could establish a new pride when drought would be finished or to marry some queen from other kingdom. But Dahabu tried to humiliate him in front of Pridelanders and force him to pay a homage. For few heart-beats Taka wanted to pounce on brother and finish it for good. But he restrained his rage and just growled.

"You start your reign with betrayal! Godspeed, brother!" and instantly, without any other word of farewell, he started to run due north.

Goldenmaned was looking on speeding lion for long minutes, chewing in silence last curse of Taka. He hadn't wanted to finish in that way. But what other choice he had? He had to assume a throne after his father, for common good of kingdom and pride. For keeping the peace and order in Pridelands in times of the Second Drought. Land couldn't afford for war, even just cold war of two claimants. In spite Dahabu loved Taka (or least he was convinced about it), that love couldn't disrupt his reason and ability to judge the things as they were. Especially state-matters. Younger of Tanabi's sons had to go away and any of bitter reproaches couldn't change it. When blackmaned disappeared behind the hill, Dahabu whispered to northern wind.

"Good luck, Taka. Let the Kings of the Past guide you, wherever you want to go." And then he went back into Priderock's direction. Dawn was coming and he had to be ready for announcing his new subjects a good news.

Meanwhile younger lion was quickly passing the kilometres of savannah to the border. Actually he understood perfectly motives of his brother and just after few minutes he regretted so cold and furious farewell. But he had no time to stop and get back. Dawn was nearing mercilessly and he had to get outside his homeland before Dahabu's proclamation. That wasn't too long distance but exhausted and thirsty lion, who was deeply sinking in dust of savannah, was not just running but marching to the desert. He was a hard male but he was also forced to effort much above his limits. After about hour he felt dizziness and soaring in throat. Brother even hadn't let him to drink before the journey. Only fully safe and clean source in kingdom was nearby Priderock and Dahabu was responsible to distribute the precious liquid. Taka hadn't quenched his thirst before burial, too touched by whole situation to think about body's needs. But before he reached border he had understood his error. He knew that he was trying something crazy – march through the desert in the middle of drought, additionally during dry season. He was hungry, thirsty and sleepy. But he also had no choice – he had to leave his home. Even for a short moment he didn't presume that his brother was wishing him death, but whole this pitiful situation could ended in that way. "I must drink from slime of Border River." Thought disgusted lion. "Or I won't last long."

To almost dried backwater of river he got few minutes before dawn. He submerge a thirsty lips into mud and tried to suck every gram of water from it. Liquid was salty and lion knew what salt could do with dehydrated organism. But he trusted in his luck and strength of his body. He drank till he was full and his stomach refuse to receive more poisoned water. Then he got through the streak of mud and fell motionless on sand of the Great Desert. He did it – escaped from own home.

And a moment later a distant roar of lion sounded. Taka barely heard a proclamation of brother. In that moment he was lying, shrunken on dry sand, fighting the overwhelming weakness of body. He knew that it wasn't time for sleep. He had to go ahead, for good or bad, but do everything for not to fall asleep under scorching rays of sun. When calls of animals announced common joy in Pridelands, Taka stood up and made a first step north. When sounds fell silent, lion was already thirty steps away from home. He was ignoring the celebration behind him – he had only one task. To go ahead and ahead. "Maybe... somewhere there a new home and a new home is waiting for me?" Thought but then even his thoughts he hid deeply. He couldn't afford constant disruption of uneasy mind. He had at least five days of way before him. Or less, if he would died on route, what after few hours of marching turned to him as a tempting perspective.

Sun raised up from the east and quickly climbed on the sky, going to northern part of firmament. Wind was blowing weakly, however it was causing a clouds of dusk that was soaring his nose and mouth. Taka had eyes shut – he was guided by burning sun from above and saw it through eyelids. But also he was led by ancient instinct of desert wanderer. And additionally he was guided by someone else, however he didn't know that.

"Just great!" was murmuring Sparthi, walking next to grand-nephew. "You have a quarter of golden lion's blood in your veins, but won't help too much if you have no water in your stomach."

Even if blackmaned took a look aside, he wouldn't saw dead Golden King. King from the Past was calmly staring on his kin, didn't try to establish any contact – as a patron of desert wanderers he had many duties and was limited by numerous prohibitions. He couldn't even help Taka with his heavenly might, because it would be transgressing the laws of Circle. So he was just looking, but it's good to remember that sight of Ancient Ones is much sharper than ours. Sparthi saw not only weary and hobbling silhouette of Zira's grandson but he was able to look inside dehydrated organism. Living lion was marching with remnants of his strength and dehydration and impossibility of remove the toxins from his tired body was pushing lion to the edge of consciousness. Until dusk there were still three long hours that Taka had to walk through or at least to stay in shelter, without falling in deadly sleep.

Sparthi was unable to do anything. With the wind he was just whispering the words of encouragement but lion, focused on his slow march was ignoring them. "And good." Thought desert patron. „Let him go. If he survive this way it means that he is strong. He will survive! He is grandson of Zira! This will be a sign that the Circle of Life has chosen him to important quest." And Golden King was right – in spite of dizziness, burning cuts on paw-pads and body, boiling with its own toxins, about an hour before sunset Taka got to Far Oasis.

"That means..." thought Sparthi with bitterness. "This was once 'The Last Oasis', a part of Golden Sands. When Zira was cub and made a pranky trip on the desert, she made it to here. If not a local source and I didn't find her quickly, she would be dead." He threw memories away when he noticed what pathetic remnants remained from once great oasis. Instead of 'The Last Oasis' it should be written: 'The Last Cluster'. From sand was growing just a bunch of green-yellowish stalks of desert thistle and in place that once had been running a source then was just a pool of half-dried mud. "Well, better that than salt from Border River." Murmured Golden King silently.

And Taka fell down and submerged his muzzle into stinking slime. For few minutes he was staying motionless, absorbing with fur that pleasant moisture. Then stood up and with both paws started to dig the mud in order to find some water. Fortunately quickly got to stock of liquid. He submerged his muzzle into wet darkness and once again that day drank to full. That water was dirty, but fresh. Few litres that Taka was able to suck turned out to be saving for weary wanderer. Sweat that came after that instantly expulsed most of toxins from lion's body and dried throat felt great relief. Blackmaned wanted to fall asleep there, still bended over waterhole, but he gathered his strength and covered source with gravel. He didn't expect that until morning oasis would be able to restore the water-stock for next drink, but he thought about the others wanderers. He couldn't destroy that last chance for thirsty ones and if there was a possibility or even slightest chance that waterhole would gather some moisture during upcoming week, Taka had to help it.

"Cheers!" he whispered to unknown, future user of oasis. Then he laid down in shade of thorny bushes and instantly feel asleep.

Moon raised up on northern sky and enlighten with faint light the desert isle. Quickly it turn to be colder but in times of drought every cold was welcomed. Through sleep, lion smiled when cool wind from desert made him to roll into ball. The colder it was the slower he was losing water of his body. And every water was as worth its weight in gold and meant life. Taka was not afraid to die, seeing no way before him. But the Circle let him survive his first day of exile, like it was preparing some important path for blackmaned.

"Well, my boy, indeed you are the tough one." Whispered Sparthi with serious admire. Ghost was standing next to thistle bushes, over the sleeping lion. Then he bended down and friendly nudged his shoulder. "But this was just a one day. We aren't even in quarter of the way. You must recall the legacy of Desert Lion. Recall that heritage that you have taken from your grandmother."

Sleeping Taka nodded his head.


	2. II Dry Sands

II

II. Dry Sands

Taka got to the Golden Sands on evening, five days after leaving Pridelands. In theory, he could been there one day earlier, if he was going normal rate of march. But for previous forty eight hours he had been not marching but crawling. Literally – sandstorm that burst in middle of way, forced wanderer to taking many sections of route on his kneels, nestled into sandy surface. Usually Taka was resting in pans between dunes then he crawled to the top of hill, fighting the overwhelming wind and going downhill to next shelter. In those days he drank almost nothing. Only a few times he managed to finds some rock piles, where under stones he found rests of dew. But dry wind of desert finally took away even that simple source of liquids. As a last resort, lion tried to chew roots of desert thistle – at first to suck every drop of juice from it, then just to stimulate salivary gland. Finally he was ruminating bitter sprout to cut his gums and drinking blood, trying to ease own thirst.

During one of stops (he found a dense cluster of cactuses, where he spent most of day. Thanks to that he was able to walk during the next night) he thought airily, wearing out whole is stock of optimism: "Because of that thirst I feel no hunger!" And that was true – his stomach was too tired to call for a meat.

Taka was marching in so dimmed state of mind, that he didn't notice Golden Sands. Majestic rock, the keep of desert kingdom, appeared before him, but wandered didn't raise his weary head. He didn't see how huge the residence of Golden Pride was – almost hundred metres high, three hundred metres wide. Massif was heart-shaped, pointed with sharper end on north. On the south side was the entrance to monarch's cave, and that was its main advantage – thanks to that residents of Golden Cave were shielded from scorching sun in zenith, mercilessly falling from the northern sky. So shape was making rock perfect shelter and moreover – it was hiding inside a real treasure. Through the numerous gaps and crack in massif a dew was dropping down to caves and creating small source of fresh water. It wasn't giving too much liquid but it was exactly enough to provide a pride of fourteen lionesses and their king.

Before the entrance was a square, shielded from sun by shade of rock. Thanks to the source in cave, few dozens of acacias and cactuses was growing there, creating a decorative hedge from desert to front of stone-wall. Additionally, a sand on square - that tiniest, blowing by gentle eastern wind - in light of fading sun was actually looking like a golden dust. Taka would probably admire the beautiful keep and agreed that Golden Cave deserved its name, of course, if he was able to. In that moment he was hobbling with muzzle near the ground, automatically chewing a root of thistle and from time to time swallowing a nauseating mixture of blood and saliva. In that condition Kota and Raia found him.

"Look!" whispered young, sandyfurred lioness. "A lion!" Her companion, goldenfurred, gentle female, gave up her previous work (that was: searching for dew under flat stones) and took a look in direction shown by friend.

"A lion." Agreed without emotions. „He won't hurt us. He looks so exhausted like he was crossing the Great Desert recently."

"Desperation could also add strength." Murmured Raia. "Kota, go for the king and I'll stop him here."

In spite of weariness, irritation of useless hunt and general amusement caused by both seriousness and fear of friend, Kota was a bit surprised. She judged that exhausted wandered was a minimal threat for kingdom, but if she was Raia, she would go for Dhalimu and announce his that news. To be closer to the monarch, prove her loyalty and usefulness... Sandyfurred never hid that she loved the new king of Golden Sands. She had been loving him since cubhood, in times of lady Kiara and lord Kovu and through years since that nothing has changed. Although young prince, then young king, was ignoring his admireress, to take care of favours of her older sister – Niva, Raia has never resigned from silent and devoted service to her monarch. She was a perfect example of devotion and loyalty - always first to hunting and hard duty of searching dew. She was severely eradicating every sign of discontent or disobedience towards the ruler. As a first she kneeled before the new queen and with absolute honesty she acknowledged her power. But she did it only because her love to king. And that why Kota expected that lioness wouldn't lose a chance to endear herself to Dhalimu. But no – she was only concerned with her duties, seeking no private benefit in it.

"He won't eat me! You go." Said goldenfurred, wanting to a good turn to friend. Raia nodded her head with gratitude and run to royal cave. And Kota covered dew-giving stones with bunch of thistle branches and set of to stranger. "Raise your head, hunk, or you won't notice our cave." She called friendly.

And blackmaned instantly picked up his muzzle but in the same time he tensed his face in expression of pain, when muscles of his neck, used to bended pose, disobeyed him. Lioness saw hollow cheeks under a blond-red beard and noticed that his eyes were bloodshot due to effort and weariness. Also they were begging for a draught of water. Paws of guest were cut thanks to long way and sharp rocks and on lion's back lioness noticed a spots of blood. Blackmaned had to fight with sandstorm on open air.

"Oh, Arista!" yelled Kota and run to support hobbling wanderer.

She didn't make it – blackmaned had already fallen on soft and golden sand of square, hitting it with muzzle. He unwittingly opened his mouth and a trickle of blood flowed from it.

Desperate lioness understood that stranger was dying. Without hesitation she clang with her mouth to his lips, trying to support him with that portion of moisture. Then she draught motionless body of unconsciousness male into a shade of cactuses. She extended her claws and cut plant's stem. In spite of pain in pricked paw-pod, she excised a juicy fragment of the trunk and put it in mouth of guest. Blackmaned started to suck a cactus juice. Seeing that he was able to independent swallowing of wet pulp, Kota instantly returned to wounded cactus and covered a cut in stem with few stones. Even one drop of plant's moisture couldn't be wasted. And in that moment came Dhalimu with lionesses.

"What a mess! Have you done it alone?" asked giant brownmaned male. "Not bad!"

"No, sir. That is..." started goldenfurred, but then she realized that he had no idea whom she was introducing. "I don't now, sir. We found him with Raia. He is exhausted and probably he was marching through the Great Desert."

Apart of the ruler, all fourteen of lionesses (counting Raia and Kota) were outside the cave. Just behind monarch was standing Niva – lightfurred, gentle lioness, recently crowned mate of Dhalimu. Raia run to wanderer and stood between him and king, like he was ready to defend the lion (almost twice big as she) from exhausted and barely awake stranger.

"What we should do, my lord?" she asked.

"He resemble me someone..." murmured Dhalimu. "So don't kill, I want to interrogate him."

That last sentence got to dimmed mind of Taka and forced him to open his eyes. Eyelids reluctantly obeyed the order of brain, but lion managed to notice a giant lion and his court in light of fading sun. For few seconds he was wondering if that wasn't a dream, but then he came to conclusion he had to act like that dream was real.

"I am Taka the Second." Whispered with effort. "Son of Vitani and Tanabi. I came to you from Pridelands."

Or at least he tried to say that, but wasn't sure if he fully succeeded and host understood him. But declaration of lying one came at least to ear of ruler because he went to wanderer and bended down to him with curious smile.

"What? My cousin and prince of Pridelands? Don't you mind... if I don't believe you?"

"My brother, Dahabu is king of Prideland." Replied blackmaned, trying to stand up, or just to raise his head. When he failed he just moaned quietly and Kota went to him. She lifted his head and pointed his muzzle on monarch.

"Hmm... maybe. You even look similar to my family. But what are you looking for here? This pride already has its lion!" he finished with hostile tone.

"I came..." started Taka but after few seconds of effort he burst with dry cough. "Water!" whispered.

"Sir?" asked Kota. "Should I give him a gourd from source?" Dhalimu just snorted with irritation and look on subject with nervous stare.

"No! Not until he tells us, why he came here. Then I decide if he is a guest... or an intruder."

"Sir, if we don't water him, he will tell us nothing." Noticed goldenfurred.

„Silence! King is speaking!" gasped Raia, with stare pointed in muzzle of ruler.

"Niva..." whispered Kota with desperate pleading and turning to sister of friend.

„Silence, I said!" repeated sandyfurred with furious tone.

And Taka, supported by Kota, carefully stood up or better to say: he unbent his paws and based on them, still nestling to Kota's side. Although he was looking like a living dead, he mustered a fresh portion of energy. He turned his sure stare on Dhalimu and said aloud.

"Lions of Golden Sands. I came to my aunt Kiara, to announce her a sad news. Her brother, king Tanabi is dead."

"So you are late, stranger." Replied monarch. "My mother..." he instinctively lowered his head and lionesses (all, even Kota) followed him. Taka, devoid of support, hobbled and almost fell on the sand next to cactus. However goldenfurred managed to quickly stoop up and support him. "...went to the Stars in the previous season. You have nothing to do here."

"You won't shed a tear for your uncle?" asked blackmaned with bitter voice.

"Maybe in better times." Said king. "But now we are saving water. Good..." he estimated guest with curious stare. "...let it be. Akra! Bring one gourd of water." Young lioness went into cave and Dhalimu was talking still. "You will drink and you will go away... go back to the new king of Prideland. You tell him, we are sorry about Tanabi's death and that we wish him and Pridelands to live long and prosper."

"Darling, he is exhausted!" Niva whispered to ear of monarch.

"Silence!" gasped brownmaned quietly, but loud enough for Taka to hear. "If he stays here even for one night, he will be treated as a rival and claimant. And I guess we don't want to do it. Right, my sweet?" King raised his right paw and extended his claws. Evening wind caused few clouds of dust and shivered with it lions gathered on square. But desert lionesses knew what that blow was meaning. A sandstorm was nearing – a storm so powerful that previous winds seemed to be just a cubbish entertainment.

"So let him at least to rest in cave..." started queen, but seeing the stare of mate, finished. "I mean: in shade of our rock..."

"He stays and I count it as a challenge." Replied proudly ruler.

"Bu he'll..."

Pong!

Without any warning, Dhalimu hit his mate's muzzle with right paw. If his claws were extended, he would probably cut her severely, maybe even wounded her eyes. Claws were hidden, but punch was powerful anyway – whitefurred faltered and based on acacia's trunk, in last moment repressing the scream of pain. Then she fell on the sand, holding with paw her hit muzzle. Golden Pride, just like someone gave an order, turned theirs stares away, pretending they don't see that disgraceful scene. Only Taka clenched his jaws and instinctively extended his claws.

"Are you staying, my cousin?" asked Dhalimu with venomous voice. He went closer to guest and...

"No, sir!" replied shivering Kota. "He will just drink a little and go away." She pushed wanderer to Akra, holding a vessel. Lioness put a gourd before blackmaned and humble got back to rest of the pride. With amaze she was looking on silent lionesses and lying queen – she was too scared to ask what had happened.

Taka was judging with his stare a vessel with live-giving liquid but then came to it. He lifted it up and went to crying Niva. He sink a wounded paw in vessel and sprinkle with few drops hit muzzle of queen. She opened her eyes and instantly opened her lips, trying to stop him. But Taka ignored it and bedew a bruise of lioness with almost all water. She shook her head and run from gentle blackmaned's hug, she went back to pride. So wandered dropped an empty vessel on the sand and without a word turned south and started to walk. He was clenching his jaws hard and with remnants of his will was repressing the body's call for water. Whole organism was begging him to return to the vessel and to lick it dry from rest of moisture – it was probably, that it had been his last drink in life.

"Sir..." yelled Kota. "Your cousin won't survive the way back home."

"Should I announce a bereavement also after him?" murmured king with burning irony. He was looking with angry stare on slowly standing mate.

"But he'll..."

"King said!" growled Raia. "This discussion is over!"

"Indeed. Let's go back." Instructed monarch and started in cave's direction. Lionesses followed him and on the tail of that sad procession was walking Raia, supporting shocked and half-stunned Niva.

"You have done wrong, my lady." Whispered sandyfurred. "Very wrong."

"But sister..." yelled queen.. "He..."

"Hush. Better say nothing." Stopped it Raia and speeded theirs steps.

On square before Acacia Alley, only Kota stayed. She was still staring at wanderer's silhouette, going away into the darkness of evening and she was thinking intensively. For first minute she was considering the consequences of disobedience to monarch. Then she judged she had no choice and she had to risk. So she focused on the main problem – water and food for stranger. She once again took a look on walking lion and turned to royal cave.

Maybe it was a impulse of noble heart, or maybe an advice of desert wind. Lioness was almost sure, that in sounds of growing blow she heard name of wanderer. But she left that strange thoughts. After she had transgressed Dhalimu's laws once, she had no inhibition to do it again.

And Taka wasn't looking forward, just marching with stare pointed down. He was guided by his paws – for few minutes he unwittingly turned more on east, sensing harder ground under paws. He didn't know he entered a route to 'Dry Oasis'. He was in half a way, when sandstorm burst.

\/\/\/

Kota was sneaking through the Golden Hall. Her hear was beating loud, so loud that she was almost amazed that sound hadn't awoken Dhalimu. King was sleeping among loyal lionesses in main chamber.

Of course, he had to call of the hunting due to growing storm. It irritated him hard, but he also knew that useless death of subject won't gave him meat. So he ordered silence and fell asleep. Kota used that, by taking from storage elan antelope's haunch. She knee that those few kilos of meat won't save wandered if he didn't find a water but she hoped the guest found it himself – if he was able to march through the Great Desert, maybe he was able to find some dew too. She was more scared of...

"Oh, no!" she yelled, but due to meat she was holding in jaws it sounded like: Oyyno!

She heard a dreadful howl of sandstorm. Tiny grains of sand, blowing by merciless wind, turned to deadly projectiles and started to hit walls of Golden Rock. Although reason was calling to lionesses to stop and acknowledged her failure, heart was guiding her ahead. "There is still a hope if he got to Dry Oasis!" she thought, completely ignoring a fact that she had to make that way too, additionally: during a rage of element and with heavy load.

She run out the cave and went from the shelter of Golden Massif, then wind almost blew her away. Fortunately (as for that generally very unfortunately situation) wind was blowing from the west, pushing Kota almost in intended direction. Lioness speeded up, like she was trying to outrun the wind, but it was no use – sand grains was flying over hundred kilometres per hour. After a while the unpleasant soaring on back turned to bolts of pain. Kota in desperate idea, tossed antelope's haunch on her neck, creating a sort of shield of her head. That way she was running and miraculously avoiding the deeper cuts. After three kilometres of that crazy speed she reached her aim.

She jumped to Dry Oasis's pan, coughing hard. She fell on bottom of hollow and for long minutes was trying to regain normal breathing. She was fighting a temptation to spit out all dust from her mouth with saliva, but she knew that it would be an unacceptable waste of water. Finally she repressed impulses of defy body, stood up and opened her eyes.

Dry Oasis was the only pan in that region of desert. Small valley was three meters deep and five meters long. Also it was overgrown with dwarf desert plants and two acacias. Its name shelter took after that little of moisture that allows trees to live. There were no real source and only a tiny mood on den of pan – one for few days it fulfils with portion of water enough to drink for few animals. Golden Pride was sometime quenching its thirst there after hunting. But water from oasis was always dirty and salty.

"Are you looking for him, my sssweet?" hissed a voice next to Kota's paws. Lioness jumped away in impulse of fear but then she notice well known friend. Kauli was two-meter long ball python of golden and black scales. Once he had been a major-domo and advisor on Golden Court. But new ruler wanted no advisors – when king Kovu queen Kiara died, Dhalimu decided to left most of old customs. He sacked - or maybe even exiled - old snake and reptile hid in Dry Oasis. Kota admired python, because he knew many stories, even from times before The Exodus of Golden Pride to Pridelands. He was serving until Arista's reign, he was tutor of young princess Zira and as the only creature who decided to stay in home during The Great Drought.

"Oh, that's you, Kauli..." sighed lionesses and instantly looked in shown direction. "Yes, I was looking for him."

Taka was lying on the bottom of pan, unconscious and wounded. On his neck and sides were nasty wounds and fur's cuts. Caused by the storm. Python seemed to already clean most of them but as a snake he was unable to give other help to stranger. Goldenfurred got to wanderer, ignoring her own injuries and joined her ear to his side. "He's alive!" thought with relief.

"Water?" she gasped with hope and Kauli pointed with tail on rock-well.

Lioness grabbed with jaws a gourd and bended down to hole. She filled her vessel with dirty water and put it before mouth of unconscious lion smelled a smell of drink – at first he narrowed his nose and then opened his eyes. When Kota flipped vessel to his lips, Taka relaxed and surrender to careful endeavours. After some time he drank all and smiled.

"Why did you..." whispered a question.

"Never object Dhalimu. Never challenge him! Never!" murmured goldenfurred with grave voice. "He will kill you."

"What happened to that white one?" asked anxiously lion.

"What happened to you?!" gasped angry Kota. „Think about yourself and thanks to that you won't endanger anyone else. Queen will suffer because your excess..."

"Queen?!" yelled wanderer. „That was your queen?"

"Easssssy, my girl." Said Kauli, looking on Kota and crawling to Taka. "He knows nothing and understands nothing. Don't be angry on him." Python rolled around visitor's neck – Taka shivered, maybe not because of fear but most because of amazement. But snake was going just to clean another wound of guest. "And you..." reptile looked with calm and hypnotizing stare on goldenfurred. "You have to go back to your king. Sssstorm is almosssst gone and you musssst return to cave before dawn. He will be fine... I make sssssure about that."

"But don't let him out on the desert!" banned Kota wilfully, looking on wounded paws of guest.

"I won't. But you go now."

In short moment stares of Kota and Taka met. Lion wanted to say something, but her sagacious eyes muffled his speech. From under of angry mask was shining a wild beauty of wilful lioness. Prince of Priderock tried to express it some way, at least in grateful smile but she turned back in run into night.

"Well, bearded one. This night you will sssspend in not so pleasant company... that issss: with me." Murmured snake with ironical tone. "But that issss good. You musssst get know more about thissss land, if you want to get out of here alive!"


	3. III Late Lessons

III

III. Late Lessons

Taka's wounds turned out to be much more serious than they had seemed initially. Since that night when he got to Dry Oasis, for almost week blackmaned was barely standing (to say nothing about walking). Kauli estimated that lion had to recover about a month before he would be able to cross the Great Desert again. Taka hearing this only nodded his head with indifference, because he wasn't in hurry – he actually had no home to return. Additionally he realized that he wasn't so avid to left Golden Sands, however he couldn't explain why was that.

He survived only thanks to care of Kota. Lioness was bringing him meat from pride's resources and in time she was trying to teach him how to hunt in desert conditions. Slowly recovering prince seemed to start whole live again – he was again a clumsy cub, who was learning the ways of the Circle of Life. Role of untypical parents played Kota and Kauli. Almost like in real pride – she was feeding him and teach how to be a hunter and python was telling him about desert, its mysteries and way of life in that inhospitable land.

"Because it'sss your land." Said Kauli one day.

Lion and snake were lying next to muddy well, slowly swallowing a portions of dirty slime and sucking a water from it. Sun had already risen above the desert and was scorching the dead sands. Trees of Dry Oasis provided shelter from direct rays but heat was barely bearable anyway. Place was just slightly better than dunes of desert outside the pan. Tired and weary Taka was aloud wondering about possibility of return, complaining on desert dangers.

"Don't blame the dessssert. This isss your land." Repeated python.

"Hm?" murmured lion still with mud in his mouth.

"I know who you are. You are desssscendant of Zira, Golden Queen. In your veinsss is flowing a heritage of thisss country. If you have sssurvived the way from Prideland, this issss the sign that desert accepted you assss own. You have to use it and remind yoursssself how to be Golden Lion.

"Well... I think that this land is running very well without me." Murmured Taka sarcastically, recalling scenes from day of visit in Golden Cave. With effort he stood and made few steps back away from well. He laid on his bedding, made from acacia branches.

"And that'ssss why you have to became one of usssss." Hissed python. "Your coming issss a sign that something could and will be changed. You are needed to Golden Sands... and maybe to all Lions Landsssss."

"Are your a kind of shaman?" asked Taka. He recalled sage of Pridelands – mandrill Thamath. Monkey had been always talking with riddles, and even those turned out to be real predictions, no one had use of those on time. Even shaman himself. Blackmaned didn't believe in wisdom that had to be describe by riddles. If rules of the Circle of Life were obligatory to all being it was rather unusual that only chosen ones could understand those.

"No, I'm just a bard, or better to ssssay: historian. The recalling one." Replied reptile. "But in my ssssongs I find more wisdom than in all prophesies in this world. "

"Songs won't water the pride." Murmured blackmaned.

"No. But the bard could." Hissed Kauli. "How have you ssssurvived a way through the desert?" asked, climbing on his back and rolling on his neck.

"Somehow."  
"What have you drunk?"

"Water from dew and mud." Answered Taka harshly. "And so what?"

"How did you know where to find it?" asked reptile and ssssa... that is: sang with his gentle voice. "_Just before sun rises up / Get your paws under the stone / Drink a tasty fresh dew's cup / Until sun would make it gone_."

"What?" exclaimed lion and stood instantly. This effort cost him a serious bolt of pain in side but amaze was greater. He shook snake off his back and grabbed him with paw. Then looked in his green eyes. "How do you know that song? My mother was singing it to me, when I was a cub..."

"Eassssy!" replied python trying to get out from lion's gasp. "Everybody in Golden Sands knows it. It our lullaby, passing from parents to children since generations. This issss exactly what I was talking about – wisdom of songs that teaches ussss how to live. It givesss us pride, knowledge and in thisss case also a water. Lady Vitani sung it for you? You were living on Pridelands... or nearby, it doesn't matter, but you mother was very wise lioness. Sssshe knew that you needed that voice of ancesssstors. And you have needed – you live thanks to it." Finally reptile slid out from blackmaned's paws and returned to his favourite place on lion's neck. There we was still whispering directly do Taka's ear. "Come with me. To thissss acacia."

They went closer to old and dried tree, then lion climbed on slope of pan to reach for the edge. They took a look outside the shelter and saw a morning landscape after sandstorm – dead and dusky horizon of desert. Calm and perfectly silent.

Song „Roots". Music rather merry, but with slight tone of pathos, mid tempo. Kauli sings without his 'ssss', but in normal way. Music starts.

Snake is hanging on lion who is looking over the edge of pan. Kauli raises his hear in front of Taka's muzzle and pointing the desert. Blackmaned is looking on it, initially without interest, squinting his eyes in morning sunlight.

Kauli:

_What a dried and lifeless land_

_Where's the life that once was here?_

_When you walking on this sand_

_You see dust by sun was seared_

He points on inside of pan, down to acacia's roots. When Taka doesn't react, he tried to tighten on his neck, but this attempt of choking looks rather funny – snake is small and lion powerful. Finally blackmaned is following reptile's stare. They went down and lion bends down over roots of tree. Kauli gets out from predator's neck. Taka carefully is digging in the sand.

_But look closer, deeper, here!_

_On that net of roots below_

_They're alive and they grow still_

_Cause they know what means to grow_

Taka uncovers root of acacia, going to the lowest point of pan, just next to muddy well but a bit farther. There lions digs and with amaze discovers that sand becomes more and more wet. He turns his stare on Kauili – snake is pointing with tail on tree.

_Look, there is like everywhere_

_Both in soil and in the soul_

_Until the memories guide us well_

_The life is dwelling proudly forth_

Suddenly from under Taka's paw spouts a small but strong stream of clean water. Lion sees that and initially lowers his muzzle to quench his thirst but just after he jumps out the hole and grabs python in steel grip. He raises him to his mouth. They are eye themselves up and down for few seconds.

Taka: Wait! You knew that source is here!

Kauli: Well... yesss.

Taka: And you haven't told me! You haven't told Golden Ones!

Kauli: I forgot. Aging dementia... Taka grabs reptile's neck and shakes him with anger. Wait, wait! That the hell you think! I'm the boa here! gasps python with effort. A bit ashamed lion puts him down but still is looking on him dreadfully. Leave me alone! I didn't have to ssssay anything because Golden Ones are doing great without this ssssource. We will keep it as a lassst resort and time for that still hasn't come. Thissss place is called Dry Oasis, because ssssource could dry out. But wisdom we have in mindsss and hearts is source that will never dry. Remember that. Write it down... surprised lion scratches his head. Yes, you. I can't He points his body wit end of his tail. I have no paws!

Chorus – Kauli:

_So sing aloud this memories song_

_And take what gives you, makes you strong_

_And this great priceless precious show the world_

He crawls to the source, 'grabbing' blackmaned with his tail. Taka bends down and drinks few draughts then suddenly Kauli hit him in chest, so lion spit part of the water out.

_If life is growing to the sky_

_It's sing that root gave it supply_

_So if you want to grow – hear of root's word_

Then he points on the longest root of acacia that has guided them to the source. He pushed lion's head to the trunk of tree and then up, to branches.

Second verse - Kauli:

Python sings and draws with end of his tail an 'animation' scene on the sand. He sketches tiny Taka the Second as a cub in Vitani's hug. Thanks to moves of lips we know that queen is singing.

_All the past times are future times_

_Because they're living still and thro_

_So give what you have dear and raise_

_Like those who passed have built for you_

We also short shots of Taka's face and pictures of lion's memories. And on sand appear more and more sketches: Zira with small Vitani, then Arista with small Zira. Later we see unknown lions, but we could assume those are Taka's ancestors from Golden Line.

_Like thousands beings in just one voice_

_Like rank through ages goes to top_

'_Yesterday's' forging 'today's' choice_

_And 'today' sowing 'future's' crop_

Mature characters from pictures raises up and forming a rank. Scenery is changing and turning into starlit sky. Flash-black to scene when Taka leaves Pridelands and ghost of Sparthi is following him.

_So gather what your fathers sown_

_And return children even more _

_That is the way of world we own -_

_- the rank through time to heaven's door_

Again a shot of inside of pan, but for short moment Taka is convinced that he sees a vivid silhouette of mother, grandmother, granduncle and great-grandfather. But ghost fade quickly, lion shakes his head. Then listen to Kauli's song with growing interest. Finally he joins to singing.

Chorus – Kauli and Taka:

_We sing aloud this memories song_

_And take what gives us, makes us strong_

_We're showing that great precious to the world_

Singing, they both bends down over sand. From soil a little sprout is sprouting with unnatural speed, almost like it is raising to hear more of lion's and snake's song.

_If life is growing to the sky_

_It's sing that root gave it supply_

_So if we want to grow – hear of roots word_

Blackmaned and python (who again climbed on lion's neck) are going back to slope of pan. They peep out the edge. With amaze Taka realizes that on desert he could see many creatures: tiny grass clusters, kangaroo mice, running among stones, some other small rodent, digging in sand. Blackmaned smiles with surprise but also with admire. For a second we see almost unseen in daylight ghost of Sparthi.

„All right, but now you must rest." Said finally Kauli. "Kota would be furious if she know how I'm healing you."

\/\/\/

Days passed and Taka was learning how to walk and hunt. Also his time was filled with lesions of Kauli. Blackmaned had inherited many wonderful songs and stories from his parents, but snake added many to that legacy. For month he spent in Dry Oasis lion got knew about his ancestors from Desert Line.

"When I was young and was just starting a service on Arista's court, I became Zira's tutor." Said reptile. "She was an extraordinary lioness and tale you told about her in the Pridelands only confirmed that. Too bad you have never met her. But when you are in need or danger, ask your grandmother for help."

"Do you think she would speak to me?" surprised lion. "The Time of Heroes is gone. What for Ancient Ones could interfere in living ones matters?"

"Well... they did it once." Noticed python with amusement. "But don't think about it now. Anyway, dusk has come and Kota would be here any minute."

Lion hardly hid his excitement, hearing about goldenfurred. He started to discreetly combing his mane, at the same time trying to check himself in reflection of oasis well. Python didn't comment those endeavours, just smiled. Then he had to bear importunate questions about goldenfurred, when she started to be late.

\/\/\/

"Kota?" sounded a whisper in Golden Cave's corridor. Lioness froze in fear, still holding a portion of meat in jaws. She was going to Taka, to feed him and almost managed to exit the cave unnoticed, when... "Let's go outside. We must talk." Added Raia. It was sandyfurred who spotted her friend. In Kota's head a thousand thoughts were boiling. Some voices were begging her to escape and instant run to Dry Oasis. "Come on! We won't speak here, not to wake king."

Goldenfurred sighed with relief, hearing that she wouldn't be delivered in Dhalimu's paws. So she obediently went out the cave and followed Raia to Acacia Valley on square. Night was silent and cold as for dry season. There was a gentle wind in the air, blowing from the east – that time gentle wind. It wasn't blowing with sandy dust. Raia sat under one of the oldest trees and with paw showed Kota place next to her. Lioness put a meat on the ground and looked on friend.

"Is this for Taka of Pridelands?" asked sandyfurred with grave tone. Goldenfurred wanted to say something, but after few seconds Raia wagged her tail impatient. "Don't lie to me. I hate when you lie! Is that true?"

"Yes, that is for him." Whispered Kota, feeling burning anxiety that her companion would call for the king.

"Who knows about that?" inquired queen's sister.

"I can't..." yelled Kota.

"Who knows in the pride?!" interrupted her Raia. "Because I already figured out that you left him with Kauli in Dry Oasis." Goldenfurred sighed with relief, sensing that in her friend voice there is no anger nor fierceness, maybe just some imperceptible bitterness.

"Only Kauli. I said nothing to our girls." Then Raia sighed and her severe look relaxed a bit.

"Right. And it must stay that way." Said queen's sister. "If pride gets know that you are breaking king's orders, I will kill you."

"But Raia... understand! Dhalimu did very..."

"Silence!" interrupted her lioness. "Don't say a word. You have no right to judge your monarch. We are just subjects." She pointed her stare in eyes of friend. "Why are you protecting that Pridelander? Have you fallen in love with him?"

"No way!" snorted Kota, but fur on her nape erected a little, showing an excitement. "I just... have to help him. He is king's cousin after all."

"And only because of that I turn a blind eye on your insubordination." Replied sandymaned. "Good, take that meat and go. But be quick, you must return before dawn." And when Kota was grabbing food in jaw, Raia look in her eyes. "But I hope Taka will soon go away. Go away with him, if you want. It would be hard for me, but not as hard as killing you as a rebel..." not changing her calm tone, she extended her claws. "...when I found out you are plotting against the king."

"Raia..." whispered goldenfurred, but load of her mouth muffled that.

"Go now." Snorted sandyfurred and went back into cave's direction. She still had something more to do – to take care about sister. After next argument with Dhalimu, on face and side of Niva appeared more bruises and cuts. Raia asked about nothing, just was cleaning wounds of queen and looking for additional water for whitefurred. Also she was hushing every complain of sister.

"Hush, my lady." She whispered to ear of Niva. "I will clean that cut and it will cease to sore."

"But sister..." cried monarchess. "You don't know what I have to..."

"I know."

\/\/\/

Meanwhile Kota reached Dry Oasis. She found Taka who was nervously chaffing with Kauli and constantly combing his (already perfectly combed) mane. Usually seeing funny faux-pas of red-bearded lion she bursts with laughter but that time a talk with Raia had annoyed her completely. She greeted with lion and python very coldly, gave blackmaned a portion of meat, then laid on sand to rest before way back. Taka gave a discrete (and fixed earlier) signal for the snake and he excused lioness and went 'to stretch his tail'.

"We have a beautiful night, haven't we?" started Taka awkwardly. "Maybe we have some walk on Eastern Dunes, to see the stars?"

"Hasn't Kauli taught you night-navigation?" asked lioness suspiciously. "But on the other hand, I guess he might have problems with pointing stars with his tail. And estimating angles between stars is surely quite hard for him. Right, so let's go..."

"No..." murmured blackmaned uncertainly. "I mean, to walk just for pleasure..." But lioness growled with irritation. "What happened, Kota? Is there is any problem?" And goldenfurred lost her temper.

"Is there any problem? You are asking me if I have a problem? That's good." Murmured with annoyance. She stood up and started to circle the lion. "My king is raging, he is pushing about not only ordinary subjects but even his mate. My best friend want me to praise Dhalimu's madness and additionally I have to spend all nights to feed some desert fumbler who's..."

Those words hit Taka like a heavy stick. He closed his eyes and instinctively extended his claws. Romantic mood of the night, earlier disrupted by Kota's restlessness, ultimately broke to pieces. Lion for the very first time asked himself: whom he was for goldenfurred. Maybe just an annoying burden, additionally burden that was endangering her. "And I thought... It doesn't matter. I did wrong, receiving her help." He thought, stood up and went to lioness.

"Kota!" he interrupted her endless speech. "I haven't thanked you for all you have done for me. Also I know that I have no facility to repay you that. But I hope, someday I will. I'm sorry that I'm troubling you in so late hour. Go back to your king, until he notice you are gone." Goldenfurred fell silent and look on lion.

"I mean... Taka, I didn't mean that!"

But he just smiled grimly, nudged lioness with his muzzle and said.

"No. You said what you feel. I regret that you didn't do it earlier. But now you must go back." She was standing for a while, looking on blackmaned, uncertain what to do. Finally she licked gentle his cheek.

"Good night, Taka." She said and run out from oasis.

In lions head a hundreds thought were boiling. He was lolling about to do something, as fast as it was possible. He laid down on sand, put his muzzle to well and started to drink dirty water. And then returned Kauli.

"Are you going away?"

"Gulp!" confirmed blackmaned.

"You are returning to Prideland?"

"Gulp." Taka gulped once again, but then he raised his muzzle and looked on snake severely. "You were eavesdropping us!"

"Don't call it ' eavesdropping'." Snorted python. "I even haven't managed to crawl ten meters from oasis and you started to almost scream. As you know, I could have plug only one ear with my tail, under condition I had an external auricle... Stop it!" called, when lion grabbed his neck. "You are back in home. And what then?" Blackmaned froze.

"I have no idea." Confessed.

"And I know!" said snake triumphantly. "You want to return here, to Golden Sands. But not as a exiled prince nor ordinary rogue. As a Someone. Someone whom Kota won't have to feed and protect. Someone who would get her admire."

"And if... so what?" asked lion.

"That's wonderful!" replied python. "Because it means that you have just one path before you."

"Eee... what path?" asked confused Taka and instinctively scratched his beard.

"I think you already know."

\/\/\/

"He knows?" asked Tanabi, looking on son from firmament.

"No. Kauli is just bluffing." Said Sparthi. Both dead rulers were floating over the Great Desert, looking on both Dry Oasis and Golden Sands. "I know him well. This is the Kauli's manner: to teach by searching knowledge in student's heart. It would took a while, but your son is gifted one."

"Gifted enough to manage the quest we are preparing for him?" asked King of the Past. Sandymaned nodded his head, but in so ambiguous way that it would be both confirmation and negation. "Good, but you have to explain me, why I can't speak with him. To apologize for Dahabu and advise to..."

"You have to learn many things too, Tanabi." Interrupted him dead monarch. "For example: that our time on earth is gone and we must trust living ones, as they are trusting us."

"Does Taka trust?"

"Maybe even a bit to much." Said Sparthi. „Look, he has already set of to Pridelands. This kid just can't sit in place..." and he added with some quieter voice. "Just like my sister."


	4. IV The Arbiter

IV

IV. The Arbiter

Taka tamed the desert or he was tamed by the desert. Anyway he was returning from Golden Sands as a completely different lion than he had gone there. Route once he had marched through in five days, he made in less than four – easy and certainly, like was running not on hot sand but on comfortable savannah of Pridelands. He discovered a convenient path on south – it turned out that most of way could be made on stone valley, that once had been created by decay of limestone ranges. So Taka not only was marching almost on solid rock but also he found that those rocks collects descent dose of dew every morning. So wanderer wasn't afraid of thirst anymore.

Taka was walking and seeing his new way, he both laughing and shivering while thinking of his previous efforts. His last journey had succeeded miraculously. But then lion was rediscovering that waterless land was filled with life – easy to get when you know how to look for hidden treasures. Half-forgotten lesions from cubhood that mother once had told him, reminded by Kota and Kauli, started to giving profits every day. Lion was travelling fast, avoiding unnecessary risk of thirst and sunstrokes.

For first two nights he was walking, because he found shelter for day. Only in last day of journey he had to march without stop, not to risk a rest without a shade.

He didn't hunt, but few times accidentally he found some preys. With real regret and sympathy he was killing and eating desert rats and geckos. In those days of intense study of a new life he stopped to see only a meat in preys but also noticed that those brave creatures were actually his brothers and sisters in struggle against the element of desert. "I'm sorry!" he was thinking, while he was chewing hunted animal. "But maybe some day I will be the one that won't strand a sun's rays and my body become a meal for some of your kind?" For that hard, but also glorious time he discovered how terribly little he had known about the Circle of Life, living on home's savannah. "We are complaining about drought?! We just underestimating generosity of the Circle of Life..." he repeated in mind, closing to home.

Just before the dawn - about four - he stopped at the bank of Border River. Since time of escape, muddy bed dried even more, but Taka smiled seeing something what seemed to be a ocean of water for him. Carefully he drank few draught of dirty liquid from salty mud. Then he entered kingdom of his brother – he run there airily and joyfully, like he was returning from short trip not from long journey. That smile faded when he noticed a group of lionesses, standing on Priderock's foot. They were silent, looking on the valley of graves.

King was not there.

"Cheka?" whispered wanderer uncertainly to lioness standing nearby. Female came out from circle of pride and cried before him. Taka came to friend and hugged her gently. "Cheka... what has happened?" he swallowed a thick saliva, pointed with paw on new grave and asked with tensed voice. "Is that... king?"

"Anasa." Sobbed greyfurred. "Anasa is dead."

"And what with my brother?" asked Taka, a little harsher that he intended to. "Where is Dahabu?"

Hearing that lionesses turned to newcomer. "Taka!" "He's back!" sounded whispers of Pridelandresses and blackmaned sensed a heavy stare of eleven pairs of eyes. Pride stepped few steps out from graves ("Grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, that new tomb, I guess - Anasa... that's all!" thought Taka. "Dahabu could be still alive!") and without word surrounded prince. Only Cheka was still crying, nestled into lion's side.

"You are here." Finally said Maitha, the oldest lioness of pride. "So Ahadi hasn't forsaken us..."

"What with the king?" repeated his question blackmaned. "What happened to Anasa?"

"They attacked from ambush." Said slowly elder one. "Three rogues. They struck the king. Anasa was defending him, when Cheka went for reinforcements, for rest of the pride. But..." female turned her stare into the ground. "We have come too late." Taka narrowed his eyes with pain. "Yes, king... come with me." Ordered Maitha.

Blackmaned followed lioness and rest of the pride followed Taka. They went on Priderock. It was an early morning, but sun was already shining hard, making every breath difficult and unpleasant. "In such a weather we should rest in shade." Thought Taka, trying to concentrate on anything else than graves beneath him.

That entered main cave, but lionesses stopped on doorstep, afraid of breaking sacred peace of royal chambers. Only old Maitha was walking slowly inside, to lying ruler. On bedding was goldenfurred and goldenmaned body of monarch. Taka clenched his jaws but just a second after he relaxed – chest of his brother was moving up and down, slowly but still. Lion stood over Dahabu, carefully bending his paw down to him.

King was severely wounded. Dark, deluged with pus, cuts were going through almost all left side of ruler and on his forehead a red bump after strong hit. Front-left paw was broken and due to open wound no one had tried to set the bone. Dahabu was breathing heavily, blood and saliva was dripping from his opened mouth.

"Brother..." whispered blackmaned.

"Taka?" asked monarch with weary and quiet voice. He seemed not to believe that prince was there. He opened his eyes and his stare met with Taka's. Then ruler called with stronger voice. "Out! Everyone except of Taka: out!" And when last lioness disappeared over chamber's doorstep, lion said to blackmaned. "Welcome back! So you have come to reclaim what is your?"

"Dahabu, what has happened?"

"It doesn't matter." Replied wounded one. "The point is: what is about to be now. I think we both know."

"I don't." gasped Taka. "We must set your bone. Send lionesses and Tiko to find some shaman and meanwhile..."

"I will die, Taka." Interrupted king. „And that's good. I will go to my beloved Anasa."

Blackmaned needed no more explanations. Anasa was always admireress of Dahabu, but just about half year earlier prince started to interest with beautiful subject. And when goldenfurred had become a king, she had become a queen. Taka was glad about that, however he wished that she could use that title for longer than one month...

"I don't want to upset you, but you have some duties to your kingdom." Murmured prince, trying to sound jokingly. "As a king you can't die – there is no one who could allow you for that!"

"Take care of our pride, brother." Said Dahabu, ingoing Taka's words. "I guess that Kings of the Past punished me for my haughtiness and ingratitude towards you. Well, you will have an opportunity to show that you are better lion and ruler than me."

Finally in that moment a awareness of situation came to Taka. He was going to be king! At last, after so many years of scorn and humiliations! Waiting in Dahabu's shade was over – he could stand in the fist rank. Suddenly lion's life – earlier grey and useless - gained a new meaning. The throne! He would be a monarch of great Lion Land! As a ruler he would show himself with pride to Kota and say: Well, my baby, maybe you want to live at king's side? He ceased to be just and pitiful invalid and bore as Taka the Second, heir of Pridelands. It was wonderful, it was magnificent, it was... too easy!

"He won't die!" thought prince. "I won't allow for that. That is my brother, my pride!"

"I will make sure that you are treated well." He added aloud.

"I forbade lionesses to search for shaman and waste water to cleaning my wounds. And I forbid that also to you." Taka even hadn't managed narrow his eyes due to surprise, when his brother raised his hand with effort, hushing his protest. "We are starving and dying from thirst. One mouth less to feed and water could mean life for all pride. I wish to be buried in..."

"SIR!" interrupted him Taka with official tone. "As a son of king Tanabi and your brother I assume the duties of regent until you are in condition to continue your reign. Your silence I consider as an approval, your highness." Said lion and put his paw on Dahabu's mouth to muffle his reply. "We will get shaman as soon as it's possible. Then we will think about additional water. Sleep well, sir, I will take care of everything."

So he let brother loose and not waiting for further protests he run out the cave. He found lionesses in shade of Priderock. Although he was sorry, he had to interrupt a bereavement after deceased queen, he understood that duties to death could wait, on the contrary to duties to living ones. With gentle but wilfully orders he induced females to action. Before sun reached its zenith, Pridelanders were working hard.

\/\/\/

Plan was very simple, but also very hard to follow.

Taka had got known everything about attack of the rogues. Three aggressive lions had made an ambush on king, who had been walking on eastern border with mate and her best friend – Cheka. Young lioness run for help, sent by Dahabu, but she hadn't managed to bring pride on time, at least on time for Anasa. When lionesses came, aggressors had already inflicted fatal wounds to the queen and almost fatal to the king. Rogues escaped, seeing coming relief and Maitha was almost sure they wouldn't dare to attack once more.

So Taka decided to divide Pridelandresses. Until Tiko was still looking for help for king in Mighty Jungle, prince-regent left four lionesses to nurse Dahabu and ordered to rest to follow him on the desert.

"That's simple." He explained Maitha, whom he had made a leader of king's security. "You are with him, guarding him and feeding him. Four of you could defend that narrow entrance to royal cave even from herd of elephants and for five mouth water from Priderock's source will be enough. Thanks to that you will be able to regularly cleaning infected wounds of Dahabu. We will bring you food and..."

"Sir, you won't survive on desert."

"Do you want to bet, aunt?" asked prince-regent with pride. It sounded strange, because just two moths earlier elder lioness was calling blackmaned just 'Taka' and he was treating her, especially since death of Vitani, as an aunt and a caretaker. But Taka matured for previous months – death of his father, exile and return had changed lion in extraordinary way. That was why elder lioness considered that blackmaned wasn't the old, tiny Taka, but actual leader of the pride.

"I hope you know what are you doing."

"I hope it too, aunt." Murmured lion and licked her forehead. "Wish us a luck and pray to Kings of the Past to light our ways." Then he turned to seven lionesses of hunting team and commanded. "Follow me!" And they set off on north-west, almost in setting sun direction.

First stop he made just before dusk, on Border River's bank. He showed how to drink from mud. Unconvinced Pridelandresses were looking on that with fear, when prince was quickly sucking water from slime. But then the bravest ones followed his example.

"Sir! That water is salty. It's dangerous." Yelled Biti, the youngest lioness of Prideland.

"I prefer to suffer some intoxication than to die in healthy way." Replied prince, still lapping a mud. "Easy, a bit of salt hurt no one and won't hurt us, if we avoid the sunstroke. Drink just from upper layers, that wait for mud to deposit on the bottom... Look, Cheka got it right."

Through his lips a learning of mother, Kota and Kauli was flowing. What strange, also a some unknown voice was sounding in Taka's words. Lion had never heard most of advices he was giving. But he didn't care, because he felt a certainty that what he was doing was right. Heritage of the Golden Lion was awakening.

They were hunting at night, getting one addax antelope, fennec and over a dozen of smaller creatures. Lionesses were obediently listening to prince's orders, still hardly believing that unknown to them desert was hiding so much treasures. And even greater confusion made Taka on next morning, when he instructed to gather a dew from below rock.

"Water is here!" exclaimed shocked Cheka. "But it just can't be..."

"During the day, it can't." agreed blackmaned. "So drink faster, until sun will he high."

"Sir, that way we could live here for ever!" called delighted Biti.

"No exactly, my dear. It's not so simple." Said lion. "We cleaned that area from preys. So in next week we won't find food here."

"So what we are going to do?" asked scared lioness.

"We will go where Golden Pride once went, seeking sanctuary for them and Pridelanders. To the Outlands."

"Oh, yeah... right." Agreed Biti. In fact she was ready to believe that Taka could find a source in the centre of Great Desert.

And life was going that way: they were hunting during day, drink a dew on mornings and then carrying foot on Priderock, to feed king and his carers. They were resting in shade of cave and on evening set off on next hunting to next territory. Pridelanders slowly became desert lions – always in motion, always ready to improvise. As once Golden Rock was only a temporally shelter for ancestors of Golden Pride, the Priderock became just a night haven for mobile hunting team.

After four days to Dahabu came Kinamu – a wise mandrill from the Mighty Jungle. Quickly he took duties of nursing over febrile king and it turn out that he made it in last moment. Two days after his arrival, shaman woke up resting Taka and took him on side. He said straight.

"Your brother, sir, would be dead right now if not a wonderful care you have provided to him. Especially Maitha – as a lioness she wasn't agile enough to perfectly clean his wounds but she did it as good as her nature allowed her. By the way: you have organised it very well, my prince. I'm impressed that you managed to feed and water him and save enough water for cleaning the wounds. Water from your source allowed him to live."

"When the king will recover?" asked Taka. "This way constant effort and nomad life is fatiguing fast lioness of my... that is: of his pride."

"Few more weeks." Replied mandrill, smiling while hearing regent's mistake. "My prince... if you did nothing to your brother, you would be 'my king' right now. You know?"

"Maybe." Said lion. „But there are many thrones on this world but I have just one brother."

So with that answer he left shaman next to ill monarch. He once again led hunting team, that time on south, in South Forest's direction. 'Forest' was dried and lifeless already but among dead trunks there was still a little preys, seeking haven from sunrays. So he had enough meat for his pride. "No! For his pride!" repeated Taka in mind, while carrying antelope's haunch in his mouth into home's direction.

Three weeks later, just before dawn, Dahabu for the very first time left the cave. Supported by prince's and Cheka's sides, he carefully went down from rock's ledge and went to grave of dead mate. Here for long time remained in silence, then uncertain lionesses started to going way, to leave ruler alone with memories of Anasa. But when Taka turned to path uphill, king ordered.

"No. You stay!" Lion sat next to brother and when lionesses went away, he said with calm, maybe even contrary voice.

"We made a long journey. So much has happened, but so little has changed. Once again we are in front of ours beloved graves and once again I should prepare myself for a journey..."

"You will decide by yourself." Replied Dahabu seriously. He looked on brother and put his paw on Taka's shoulder. "You are wrong, much have changed and Anasa's death allowed me to see that. Taka, I wronged you, but you turned out to be generous and forgiving – you gave up your revenge. Or I'm wrong..."

"Huh? What do you mean?" surprised Taka.

"Don't play with me! Don't say you don't know." Snorted older of brothers. "This is the last moment when you can became a king. You are weaker, we know it both. But you have proved that you can make up for it by your wit and endurance. So today you are still able to challenge me and win according to the Law of Challenge."

"Have you lost your mind?" yelled Taka. "What the hack for should I have saved you if I wanted to dispose you? I won't raise my paws against brother." He stood and went to graves of parents. He put right paw on tomb of father and left of tomb of mother. "I've learned many things in last few months. Important things. I want build what parents were building and grandparents and theirs ancestors before them. Some very wise creature showed me real sources, that will never dry. One of that sources is old law of our kingdom tells the oldest son of king to rule after him. I won't fight neither you nor any other monarch in Lions Lands. I will obey laws of our father as he once was obedient to laws of ancestors."

"Taka... but you seem to be king more than I." Interrupted him brother. "I wouldn't forgive so easy and think only about good of pride."

"Every lion learns whole life..."

"You don't understand!" snorted Dahabu. "When I regain my strength and haughtiness of healthy and mighty lion, I will forget about every word we are saying now. Do you think we will be living like one, loving family? I wish to, Taka, but I doubt I will be able to."

"And you don't have to." Replied blackmaned. "I will go away. Priderock already has its king. And what most important: almost fully functional king!" He burst in airy laughter, but face of his brother remained serious.

"We can't waste that." Said Dahabu and then he answered on silent question of younger brother. "You. Your wisdom and faith."

"That's not my wisdom, I just trust in wisdom of greater ones than me."

"Do you remember grandpa Simba? You was just a cub when he died, but I remember still his tales, that once he heard from your great-grandfather – Mufasa." Said pensive king. "Those tales about times before our ancestors came on Pridelands. About times of wanders." Taka nodded his head. Maybe he was just a cub then, but curious cub. "And about arbiters..."

"Those lions who were living outside prides, judge arguments, negotiate during wars and bequeath history of Lions Lands?"

"Yes... Taka, be our arbiter." Asked with authentic humility Dahabu. "Help the others as you helped us. I know..." with wave of paw he interrupted brother's objection. "...arbiter is not a ruler, but he is also no subject. This is free lion, who serves everyone but he is no one's servant. I can't appoint you as a arbiter. I just can recognize you as arbiter and humbly ask you to take care of pride. I don't know if other prides will do the same, but I believe that they will."

Taka was silent for long while, still stroking stone-piles of both graves. Horizon on east was already enlighten by rising sun, but cold of night was still gently caressing lions sides. Blackmaned looked with questioning stare on graves then of stars, fading on the sky due to starting day. He heard no voice but he sensed it. Ancestors spoke and ask him to agree.

"Point for you, bro." Said blackmaned finally. "As the Arbiter of Lions Lands I'm will take of your kingdom, your highness. Wish me a luck." Asked and instantly turned west and started to run, like he was hastened by rays of rising sun.

"Taka!" called Dahabu.

"There is no time for farewells." Replied running brother. "Also... I will be back!" but for moment he stopped on top of hill nearby and once again called to goldenmaned. "Kinamu said that pride behind Mighty Jungle is ruled by some youngster. So many preys escaped from there that they are probably starving right now. I must figure out few things... Take care, brother!"

"Take care... our arbiter."

Taka again started to run, hastened by sunlit, warm wind and unexpected lightness in heart. The Stars spoke to him so he knew his path. And additionally, somewhere deep in mind a exiting thought was sprouting. "Well, Kota... I wonder what could you say now. Everybody knows what kings can. Now let's see what can the arbiter!"


	5. V The Endless Route

V

V. The Endless Route

Two groups of lions were looking on each other with deadly stares. Although in darkness of moonless night was hard to see tensed faces and bared teethes, eyes of predators were sparking with fury and will to fight. On the right, on the edge of forest were thirteen lionesses and their young king. Greymaned leader was rather moderate built, showing his young age, but in spite of that... or maybe: because of that, he intended to do no step back. He believed that as a ruler and protector of lionesses he had no right to recede. And females, in hearts heavily scared by whole situation, seeing monarch's determination, were encouraging with roars. Rogues, waiting on savannah didn't want to retreat too. There were no heroism in that – five of lions were just starving and thirsting. Exhaustion muffled in theirs minds clear judge of situation and respect for laws. Four younger males, led by hoarymaned elder were close to desperate charge on the pride. Against fourteen jaws they have limited chances – even counting males strength as twice as females (however, what was very risky presumption – experienced lionesses of Green Valley were fighting no worse than their young king) and considering that old guide will stand the heat of battle, rogues were clearly weaker. But Green Ones have no reasons to be satisfied – incoming fight betoken as hard and bloody and dreadful roars of rogues sounded like a sentence for many lionesses from Valley.

But those two seas of anger were divided by a dam - lone lion, standing between groups, was looking on one, then on second pack, waiting for proper moment. Finally both adversaries for a second turned theirs stares on arbiter. Taka raised his paw to get their attention. With gentle but wilful voice he said.

"Njaa.. and you, your highness. As the Stars witness: I won't allow on this!"

"Not only Stars." Murmured Vitani, looking on scene below her paws.

Almost whole Star Family of Taka, ancestors of both family lines in silence were staring on evening events. Even Elders of Ancients descended that night from Higher Firmament. Tarki and Ahadi, long-absent in those insignificant matters of earth, that time both considered importance of moment. If Taka the Second succeeded with his idea of great alliance of Lions Lands, the Circle of Life could speed up its round. But even mighty Kings of the Past didn't intended to interfere in living matters. They trusted in judge of new Star Arbiter on the Lower Firmament – Scar.

"Not only Stars." Agreed blackmaned ghost. "But it would be better if your son believe he is on his own. And the best would be if he was on his own. Our help, in longer perspective, causes only more disturbances of the Round."

Unseen for living ones, silhouettes went on the ground on the brink of dried jungle. Then surrounded Taka, still maintaining required distance. Among the Ancient Ones were burning many emotions connected with descendant – love, care, family pride and ordinary curiosity. That was why Scar was keeping them further, beware not to let them interrupt actions of living ones. He asked parents of arbiter – Vitani and Tanabi, to stand with him, even further.

"Just in case." He whispered to daughter and son-in-law. "He believes that you are watching him. But you know... a cheering of parents could be very disrupting."

But Taka was thinking about nothing except of growing conflict. Five of starving rogues had come to dying kingdom, scaring away remnants of the herds and capturing one of the last fully safe waterholes in area. Green Pride was just going to regain the source it with force and rogues had prepared an ambush on the edge of forest. Arbiter got there in last moment.

"Come closer... please." Asked Taka. He tried to maintained a polite and calm voice, however inside he was shivering. Even not about his life – although he was standing between two, bloodthirsty armies – but about success of his plan. Peace in Green Valley was required to finishing an alliance, so called the Drought Coalition, a fragile covenant of numerous prides, building by arbiter.

"I'm coming." Replied Kijani, ruler of Green Valey. „But only because I want to get closer to those thugs."

"I'm coming..." murmured Njaa. "I'm sick of standing on that blasted sand."

Both lions got closer to each other and stopped on the distance of outstretched paw. But the first ice was broken – Taka, standing between them, sensed that they wanted to negotiate, to talk, or at least to spit few words to offend the enemy. That was no too much, but good for a start. That why arbiter made few steps back and said aloud, trying to sound airily.

"Good". As I said already, before you will pounce on yourselves with claws, you have to kill me first. But I'm still wondering about one thing. Just imagine: I'm dead, you are fighting to glorious death... Somebody wins..." dreadful roars of both sides announced common certainness of triumph."...somebody loses. Then all live long and prosper, of course except of those who died... But what then?" He looked with freeing stare on king. "We have pride of six survived lionesses, with crippled king or without him. Pride is raising ruler's cubs..." Arbiter took a quick look on one of females in advanced pregnancy. "...hoping that no other group of rogues would come to Green Valley and finish what Njaa has started." Hearing that Kijani shivered, looked on his queen and turned his stare into the ground. Taka continued. "Or a different situation: Rogues kill king, after long, glorious and bloody fight. They are probably hoping that pride would surrender after lost of ruler and efforts of dead companions won't be taken in vain. But are they sure if lionesses of Green Valley would obey the murderers of their monarch? Or maybe they would defend the throne for Kijani's cubs? Think, conqueror, if you wouldn't be forced to kill each one of your new subjects to provide yourself safety."

"I'm impressed, desert one." Interrupted him Njaa. "But such a preaches won't give us preys nor water us."

"No." agreed Taka. "That why you have to find yourselves some other place." King of Green Valley smiled and elder, as well as four of his companions, bared his teethes. "Of course, after you left a hospitality of Green Pride." A murmur of confusion sounded among lionesses. Taka went to four rogues and wagged his tail, inviting they to follow. He turned to pride and looked on king. "Your highness, please accept me and my friends as a guest on your land."

"You don't have to bother, blackmaned." Murmured Njaa. "We will get what we need by ourselves."

"Maybe, but not here." Replied arbiter, even not looking on elder. "This valley belongs to Green Pride." And to king he said. "Sir, host us for one night, feed and water us. On tomorrow's evening we will go on south.

"You will, comrade?" jeered one of rogues.

"Silence!" gasped blackmaned. "When they rest, they will go with me on Sunny Plains, to seek for new waterholes and to learn how to live on savannah. I also wish that at least two lionesses of your pride go with me and learn the same. It will be helpful for your kingdom and a relief for your water-stock when king's heir will be born."

"But what for?" surprised Tanabi, looking carefully on son's face.

"Nicely done!" judged Sparthi. "Young Taka wants actually to learn those lionesses of desert knowledge, but probably he hopes for something more. Do you see that two females?" he showed to Simba's son two greyfurred, standing aside. "They are restless and tired of living in pride. Most likely Kijani will send them with your son and rogues. One of them could never return home. That younger one is named Kadiri. Matura, the tallest of rogues, since over a quarter is looking on her like on sun. Maybe they will became mates and she leave the pride? Less mouths to feed in those days means greater chances for cubs to survive. Really, Taka has brains!"

Meanwhile arbiter was guiding five of rogues among lionesses. He still was watching on Kijani and Njaa, ready to interfere if leader decided to change theirs minds about pack. But he felt that the worst is already gone. Another conflict was appeased and another pride was close to accept the alliance. Additionally, blackmaned provided himself some company on incoming weeks of desert march. He was glad about it too, because loneliness started to became more and more annoying. More and more often he dreamed a merry, but in the same time sad dreams about his old home and Golden Sands. And of course, about Kota. He was comforting himself that he was about to return to his grandmother's land. Golden Pride was a final part of his coalition.

"Thank you." Whispered Kimeta to Taka's ear. "For me, Kijani and our child. I hope, you will still look after our pride."

"I hope so too." Murmured arbiter. "I started to like this job."

And he went with reconciled lions into valley. Silhouettes of satisfied Kings of the Past flew back to the sky.

\/\/\/

Zira didn't see that another triumph of Taka. Dead queen was looking from different part of firmament on a different scene. That was: on her homeland. That night Golden Sands were standing in darkness and almost perfect silence. Even the slightest wind wasn't blowing and every creature seemed to sleep deeply and calmly. But in Golden Cave no one slept. And no one was calm.

Dhalimu was marching through royal chamber, over and over, from one wall to the other, passing before a tight rank of his subjects. Although queen could accompany her mate in inspection, she had instinctively stood next to pride-mates at the end of the line. She lowered her head, just as her companions and seemed to be ashamed and scared as well. King was furious and furious on everybody.

"Whole day! And whole team was hunting, weather was good! You retuned with nothing! Nothing!" repeated lion with powerful voice and stood in front of his mate. Whitefurred bended her head even lower. "I'm sure you will yell about drought, cursed and that other prides steal our preys. But it doesn't justify your incompetence."

"Justify." Murmured Zira, heard by no one. Ghost of lioness descended to cave and stood exactly behind her grandson. As Dhalimu was furious on his pride, Zira was furious on him. "They finished hunting when firsts signs of incoming storm came. If wind burst then and they were still hunting, sand would have killed them. You know it, Dhalimu." Dhalimu didn't know, or at least he wasn't able to ask his reason. So he just raised his front-right paw and extended his claws. He took his limb before Niva's face and froze in place.

"This is the king's paw. You see? Strong and healthy, ready to defend our home. But if we are going to starve, I – the ruler - will leave the cave that I have to guard and go with you on tomorrow's hunt." He put his paws on the ground and started to next end of row. When he made few steps, whitefurred, gathering all her courage, said with quiet and uncertain voice.

"My lord, that storm will surely come tomorrow."

"WHO SAID THAT?!" growled ruler, turning his stare on the rank. Before queen managed to react, she heard a voice of her sister, standing next to her.

"I did!" Dhalimu with paw inflicted a blow in her occiput, so sandyfurred hit with muzzle on to the ground. Except of hollow smack of blow, she made no sound. Instantly she added. "Forgive me, my lord. I'm wrong."

"Yes, you are." Agreed monarch. Raia's voice was so similar to voice of her sister, that Dhalimu was convinced that sandyfurred had objected his rebukes. Satisfied that he had punished a rebel, he started again to next end of row. "So, tomorrow I will lead you on hunt. I'll show you how you should fulfil your duties."

Kota was desperately thinking about that. Dhalimu couldn't hunt – he was mighty and strong lion, but a lion, not lioness. Nature fitted him with all skills needed in fight and defence of pride, but hadn't made him hunter neither in body nor in spirit. Goldenfurred understood that to successful chase a patience, calmness and ability to repress own pride (to work in team) were required. And king had none of those gifts. Probably next hunting was about to finish as a catastrophe – if even storm wouldn't come to Golden Sands, Dhalimu wouldn't be able to lead a successful chase. And for his failure he would surely blame his subjects. Kota looked discretely on Raia and decided that a risk was necessary.

"There is no need, sir!" exclaimed, putting as much humility in that, as she could. "Next time we will bring a decent prey. I promise!" "Now his anger will focus on me." She whispered in mind, both proud of her courage and terrified by incoming consequences. Probably soon coming consequences, because ruler set off into subject's direction, gasping angrily.

"She's right, my lord!" suddenly called Raia. "The shame of today's defeat will strengthen us tomorrow. We won't disappoint you!"

"Great! So his anger will get us all." Thought goldenfurred, surprised by words of lioness. She just couldn't believe that sandyfurred distracted Dhalimu only stop him from punishing her friend. "Raia could give her life for me... but first she have to make sure if her life isn't needed for her king!" added silently with bitter tone. She gave a quick look on queen's sister to see she raised her head, staring on monarch. Dhalimu had to believe in subject's assurances because he turned back from rank of lionesses.

"Good. You have the last chance tomorrow, to show from what stuff you are."

"Thank you, sir!" sounded instinctive choir of Golden Ones voices, but Kota shivered once again. She finally understood what her promise meant for whole pride. "We will go on hunting during the storm. This is a madness, but Dhalimu won't let it go..." she thought.

"Good. Now you may rest. Tomorrow you have some work to do." Instructed ruler.

"You will kill them!" yelled unheard Zira. "My grandson, you went mad completely. You are giving them as a prey to the storm!"

Emotions of Ancient One were avid to show herself there and then and as a Queen of the Past to call Dhalimu to order. But reason said: no. She was Scar's mate during her life and after her death. With her beloved she was bearing duties of Star Arbiter. She was not allowed to interfere and to break the balance. Especially that she knew in what direction the Circle of Life was going. However, as well as living ones, she couldn't exactly predict the future, but better than them she knew that some sacrifices were required. "Hawaa's, Nuka's and my lives were needed to end War of the Prides. I can't break the master plan, whatever it is. I must trust in living ones." And with fondness she looked on Kota, lioness who was the closest to open rebellion against the king. "To raise a paw on monarch is a terrible crime. But maybe you will find someone who would be more proper for the Golden Throne." She finished with hope and left her charges. She had to tell Scar and the others of her family about all she had seen. Maybe her friend and kins would find some solution for Golden Ones.

"So... fall out!" ordered Dhalimu and he went into royal cave's direction, where he used to sleep when he didn't want to be with subjects. "No, you not." Announced to Niva, when she started to follow him. "I don't want to see you today. And no one!" finished with dreadful tone. Then left main hall.

For about minute a silence maintained among Golden Ones. Lionesses were looking on each other, even not being sure what to say. Finally Raia came before pride, climbed on one of the borders in hall, waited some time, to catch attention of everybody and with her quiet but serious voice said to her pride-mates.

"Listen to me... We have failed today and..."

"Storm was coming!" yelled Simmi, one of the youngest lionesses.

"Storms were, are and will be." Replied queen's sister, almost screaming. But then instantly lowered her voice, careful not to wake her king. "The matter is that tomorrow..."

"If storm hasn't come today, it will be tomorrow." Noticed Kota.

"That changes nothing." Said Raia. "We will go on that hunting, and get some real game for our king. I'm not a hunting-team leader..." she looked on sister with reproaches. "But I can assure you, that I won't return to our cave without some prey. Is that clear?"

"If storm comes, you won't return even with prey." Threw Simmi, but Kota nudged her in side. Arguing with sandyfurred seemed to be useless.

"Is that clear?" repeated Raia.

"Yes." Confirmed pride, as if obligation of queen's sister was obligatory for all Golden Ones. "But now, to go sleep." Instructed and jumped down from the stone.

"He will kill us." Whispered Kota, when sandyfurred was passing next to her.

"So be it!" replied Raia, coming to her sister. "Come with me, my lady. Maybe king has changed his mind."

And she guided Niva to royal cave, leaving confused lionesses in main hall. Sisters entered chamber and came to lying ruler. They stopped over Dhalimu, hearing his slow and regular breathing. Finally Niva whispered.

"Come. He is sleeping."

"Go, my lady. I will bring him more brush for bedding." Said sandyfurred.

After about quarter of searching of acacia brush, she returned with her load to cave. She passed through main hall, went among sleeping pride then entered king's chamber. She made a first step in, when...

"I'm not sleeping." Said Dhalimu.

"Forgive, my lord. I was just..." whispered lioness.

"I know what you was doing. Thank you." Replied lion and raised his head. „Look at me." Ordered and when sandyfurred turned her stare on him, said with tired voice. "You don't listen to me."

"My lord!" yelled female.

"Silence! I know that is happening. You are constantly purling against me. You prove your laziness and sloth. That can't be hidden before me."

"My lord, I beg you: don't say that." Whispered Raia. "Today we have failed, but we will make up for that soon. Pride loves you, my lord, and tomorrow we will prove that. You will be proud of us."

"I don't believe you." Replied Dhalimu. "Lionesses aren't loving me... They even don't fear me! I have to growl every order to be heard. And that isn't right..." added with sad and unexpectedly soft voice. "We should to live as a concordant pride, obedient and strong. Why it isn't going that way, Raia?"

"It is going that way, my lord." Assured him lioness. "All is going to be better. Today some accident happened, but it was just an accident. Tomorrow will be better. Will be... perfectly!" Shyly she reached with jaws for branches she had brought and started to put it under monarch's side. When she had in mouth no brush, she was speaking. "We are ungrateful and stupid, my lord. But we are still learning... Some day every Golden One will see how many you did for our pride. That day we all will be obedient to you, my lord. Some day... But now sleep, my king. Tomorrow you have to awake and take care of us.

"It's time to sleep" song. Tune is merry, airy but in last lines of verses turns to be more disturbing.

Raia is still bending over Dhalimu, fixing his bedding with paw and jaws. She starts to sing and king, like a tiny child, seems to fall asleep due to that.

_Sir, close your eyes and rest at last_

_The day was long but now it's passed_

_Let gentle blow of wind summon your sleep_

Lioness slowly leaves lying lion, quietly and careful not to awake him. She goes to cavity of chamber where is the only source in Golden Cave. She carefully fills a gourd with water and brings it to ruler.

_Just sleep to raise again on day_

_And warm us all with sunny ray_

_Like sun from sky you will peace for us keep_

When it's obvious that Dhalimu fell asleep, Raia slyly bends down and licks monarch's paw. Then she goes away from bedding, still looking over her shoulder on lion and still singing.

_Sleep my lord, in hard times too_

_Nothing would stop our faith in you_

_Every burden, every grief_

_Will fade like day with your relief_

She goes through corridor to main hall, passes pride-mates, stopping for a moment before her sister. She looks on her with expression of envy on face.

Chorus:

_Cause in your warm, royal embrace_

_We see the Circle's loving face_

_And its round going through us all_

_So close, well known like is your call_

_But now all worries bury deep_

_It's time, my lord, to sleep_

She moves further. She exits the Golden Cave and goes into moonless, but starlit night. She is walking on Acacia Valley. Zoon-in on face: in her eyes we see reflections of past events – king, hitting Niva, expulsion of Taka, recent scene in main hall. But Raia shakes off her head to dispel that visions.

Second verse:

_And even if some a false tone_

_Would disrupt peace within your home_

_Tomorrow you will play that tune again_

Then a next vision – Dhalimu from times of coronation. Raia is going in acacia valley, but suddenly scene is changing – lioness is walking in daylight, next to Kota, after sister and Dhalimu. Procession goes to the end of alley, on the border of desert. New ruler growls proudly, Raia barely repressing calls of joy. But a look on Niva disturbs her delight.

_Once more you'll build a perfect choir_

_Of grateful hearts like dreams of your_

_Concordant souls and minds to praise your fame_

Again a scene of Raia in night. She stands of edge of alley, looking on dark horizon. Some there a sandstorm cloud are gathering – a sing of incoming element. But she ignores it.

_Sleep my lord, in hard times too_

_Nothing would stop our faith in you_

_Every burden soon will cease_

_When you will wake and rows appease_

She returns to the cave. She stops, seeing a skeleton in alley. With decisive move she throws it away – a trash no longer spotted the landscape.

Chorus:

_Cause in your warm, royal embrace_

_We see the Circle's loving face_

_And nothing would disrupt our calm_

_If you are shelter from the storms_

She bended over sand and draws a picture of Dhalimu. She is smiling in delight. Then she adds sun-like rays, coming from king's silhouette, as if he was a sun. Finally she tensed her face in shame and wipes out the sketch. She stops on the doorstep of cave and ends lullaby.

_But now don't worry about those_

_So now, my lord, repose_

Screen fades to black, with Raia in entrance to Golden Cave.


	6. VI The Storm

VI

VI. The Storm

The Golden Pride went out late, after midday. King had overslept and lionesses had been too scared to wake him or to set off alone. When Dhalimu awoke, of course he wanted to scold subjects for laziness, but Raia managed (however – she never told how) to appease the monarch. So calm ruler smiled to leaving lionesses and waved his paw to them. Then he set off on inspection of Golden Cave's vicinity. So hunting party uncertainly followed Niva on east.

Actually Raia was leading. Younger of sisters had the instinct of real predator and pride willingly accepted her as a leader. She wanted to reach the Dried Forest – a grove of dead acacias and baobabs, that had been (in better times) living and fertile island of green on sea of sand. It was a long way, but guide was marching firmly.

"Raia..." whispered Kota to her friend. "Wind is intensifying."

Indeed – sun was shining over desert mercilessly, but surprisingly air over the ground wasn't too hot. Lionesses were glad about that change but goldenfurred as a first understood what it meant.

"I know." Replied queen's sister unflinchingly. "Storm will be here at dusk. That why we are going to the Dried Forest. If there is some herds nearby, they will hide here."

"Don't you thing that WE ALSO need some shelter?"

"We will manage." Snorted sandyfurred. "I'm not a team-leader, so I can't order you. But I have promised." "And you too!" added with silent grimace. Kota found further argument with friend as useless. So she slowed down, letting Raia catch her sister and then she looked on rest of the pride. Lionesses were uneasy and probably slowly started to understand the gravity of situation. But they are still more frightened by eventual anger of king than very probable death in raging element. So they were marching quickly.

"Form a column, my lady." Advised Raia to Niva. "I will go on lead."

"Fall in a column!" ordered queen. "Raia on the lead, Kota securing the tail."

Because wind was already causing a small sand-clouds and visibility downgraded significantly, Golden Ones formed a rank, marching in single file after sandyfurred who was clearing a path in loose sand. Goldenfurred, who was closing a column had to make sure that no lioness lost a formation and was left behind. Penultimate in file of course had to keep if closing one is stile there, but Kota was heavily scared anyway. In cubhood she heard many dreadful tales about lionesses lost in sandstorm, so when clouds of dusk dimmed her way, she instinctively got closer to Akra, marching before her. Lioness put her tail on friend's shoulder, but it didn't appeased the closing one. "Faster! We must reach Dried Forest as soon as it's possible." She thought desperately.

To the grove of dead trees they got on dusk. That is: probably on dusk, because omnipresent dust was darkening the sun, making huntresses unable to determine the actual time. Raia was furious, because they had been marching so slow and reach destination so late. But then a scent of easy prey encouraged her. In spite she was (as the leading one) endangered the most by fury of the element, she felt neither fear nor exhaustion. Awareness that she was doing it for beloved king - and additionally was on important duty instead of her sister - was bracing and was soothing an ache in paws and sore in throat. Moreover that pain was sharpening senses. Raia quickly smelled a pack of addaxes, blindly searching for shelter from the storm. With ancient code of Golden Pride she made few signs with tail, to Niva, marching after her. So then she had to wait for information reach the end of rank, then hunting could be started.

"Attack!" she called and rushed among dried trunks.

Hunting-team quickly formed a chasing 'horse-shoe-formation'. Because among trees wind wasn't so strong, lionesses were running fast and firmly, getting surprised and extremely exhausted antelopes. In two minutes Golden Ones killed three mature cows and dispersed rest of the herd in grove. But antelopes were still in a trap – growing sandstorm imprisoned them in few hectares of improvised shelter. And lionesses didn't want to finish their hunt.

"Preys on the edge of grove!" called Raia, who took a lead for good. Kota was dragging one fallen addax to gathering point when she noticed that sandyfurred was hurt. Raia cowered wounded paw but still was commanding companions, like nothing had happened. "We've gotten three! Watch the rest, they could try to escape on desert."

"Raia!" called Kota, getting to friend. "Lay down, you are hurt!"

"Just a scratch!" snorted lioness, barely overscreaming the storm. She quickly looked on limb, cut with some dry branch of acacia, then she turned her stare on the east. "They are running!" she cried, pointing on two antelopes, who made a desperate escape on open air and were jumping in heavy fight with overwhelming element. "Wait with preys. Akra, Simma and Kota, follow me!"

"This is a suicide!" yelled Akra.

"No, you stay!" growled Kota, looking on bleeding paw of Raia. "You won't run even minute in this condition." She nudged Simmi and Akra to chase and she turned her stare on friend. "Right, we will get them. But not for your king. For you!" she gasped and followed the chase.

Lioness had thought that wind in grove was strong. But when she run away the shelter of dead trees, fury of sandstorm almost stunned her. She stopped, waiting for two companions, who fell down due to sand-blows, then all three followed a quickly fading paw-prints of addaxes. They were running side to side, supporting each other. Kota, running between friends, felt regret, because she had the easiest task. But suddenly the chase finished – they almost ran into addax, who - blinded and panicked - was lying and kicking in the air. Fast blow of Kota's paw finished a torment of creature.

"We're going back." Called goldenfurred. "We'll never find that second one. Simmi, you go between us!"

She let lioness between her and Akra, then all of them grabbed a dead body on jaws. They started off with wind in grove's direction, or at least in direction where Kota expected to find a grove. But march with wind was sometimes even harder than against it. It was so tempting to surrender to element's power and to go wherever it was leading. In theory it wasn't a problem, because wind seemed to blow in right direction, but...

"Stop!" cried goldenfurred, looking ahead with terrified stare.

Lionesses got to the next body of antelope. It was an animal that had escaped them just moment before. Someone got lost – addax or huntresses. Or maybe all of them.

„And what now?" asked Akra. Or at least Kota thought that she told that, reading from lips. Howling of the wind was muffling every word.

"Let's finish her and go ahead. Maybe..."

Suddenly addax, in desperate attempt, jerked and plunged her horn in goldenfurred's paw. Kota yelled in pain but instinctively hit a victim, killing it. But then she fell on the sand, next to antelope's carcass.

"Kota!" cried Akra and Simmi.

Lionesses laid down next to friend, and Akra looked on wounded paw of huntress. Cut wasn't bleeding too much, but was deep. Hit of addax damaged muscles and – what was much worse – opened the body to sandy dust. Akra started to lick a wound, trying to clean it from and sand other filth to avoid an infection.

„And what NOW?" cried terrified Simmi.

"Leave the meat and search for grove." Gasped Kota, repressing the burning pain in limb.

"And what with you? And... we even don't know where to go!"

Wind again changed its direction. If it had been blowing in lionesses backs, then was hitting theirs sides. So if even had been earlier some possibility to determine the right direction of march, then it became impossible – even the most experienced Kota had no idea where they were and where Dried Forest could be. "Sparthi, the patron of desert, help us!" whispered in mind and he came almost instantly. Not Sparthi in person, of course. That time an emissary of desert guardian was a lion with blond-red beard and black mane. He went to lost lionesses with heavy effort but with determined expression on his face. Without needless questions he grabbed Kota's side.

"Go to the grove!" called to Akra and Simmi. "There, about three hundred meters ahead." He pointed a direction from he had come. "I will take care of her." Lionesses looked uncertain on friend but blackmaned added. "This is Niva's order. Get the meat and go! In Dried Forest drink blood of addaxes, to prevent dehydration." He raised his head higher and thousands of sandy projectiles hit his muzzle. "Wind is growing, sandstorm will be even stronger. Tell Raia she must take whole team back home. Immediately! At dawn will come the wind you won't stand even in grove!"

"And you?" asked terrified Akra.

"We will join you... I hope. But go now!"

Uncertain lionesses, hastened by stare of wanderer, grabbed meat and set off in showed direction. And lion laid on windward side of Kota, shielding her (at least: partially) from fury of element. He started to lick a wound, to finish what Akra had started.

"Taka..." whispered Kota.

He just murmured, hushing goldenfurred. With free paw he pressed her head to sand surface, waiting for some calmer moment. "But what then?" thought Kota. "If the greater storm is nearing..." But incoming wave of exhaustion, weariness caused by wound and sudden sense of safety deluged lioness. She wanted to say something, to order Taka to leave her and save himself, but sleep muffled her mind.

Raia was leading a column of Golden Ones to home. Wounded, she was supporting by sister's side, but sandyfurred was guiding – it was obvious that she knew the route better. Although wound was aching mercilessly, she didn't complain but just giving strict orders to the team. According to Taka's warning, she had to get them to some solid shelter. But she already completed the main goal of that mission – she got a prey for her king. So then she could focus on duties to the pride.

"Faster! Storm is coming!" she called, still hobbling next to Niva's side.

Her heart was beating fast, scared about Kota's fate. But in the same time she was appeasing by soothing awareness that time she hadn't failed her king.

\/\/\/

Senses were returning to Kota slowly and it wasn't a pleasant return. Before she regained her sight and hearing, even before she understood that she was lying on sand, nestled into Taka's side, the pain had stricken. That time it was enflaming not only wound but also whole right paw and it didn't let her even think about moving a limb. She moaned what instantly alarmed Taka.

"Thank Ahadi, you are awake!" he said. Or actually: Kota guessed that he said that. Wind was still muffling almost any other sound. "We must go, to find some shelter, until storm still isn't in its prime."

"Isn't?" thought Kota. "So what is all THIS?" sand was constantly and ruthlessly hitting in lying lions, but maybe not as hard as few hours earlier. Taka had on mind some real disaster – the one he warned Golden Ones about.

"So we must go." Repeated gently, bending over her ear. "I take you on my back, but you have to hold me tight. Right?"

Goldenfurred couldn't answer, but obediently tighten her paws on shoulder of blackmaned and cuddled to his mane. Taka stoop up and started top march with slow but certain steps against the wind. Lioness actually hadn't idea where they were going but she was too tired to be scared due to that. Calm breathing of Taka and his regular steps were lulling her, however she remembered the order to hold saviour's neck. If not those sandy projectiles, hitting her painfully, she would fell only a blissful calm. She worried about nothing and just was rocked by swaying of lion's back.

So they were marching oven an hour. Finally blackmaned put lioness on the ground and she opened her eyes. But instead of expected wave of dust she was attacked only by almost perfect darkness. After a longer while she understood that she was in some kind of den and a shadow moving next to her was Taka, securing a entrance to improvised lair.

"Now it should endure a while." Announced lion. "But after several hours we will have enough of sand above us."

"Taka..." whispered Kota, feeling burning thirst.

"Yes, me too." Confessed wanderer. "Unfortunately we have only... a previous resident of this place." She put a body of fennec in front of lioness. "This isn't much, but his blood is a liquid too."

She greedily plunger her teethes into a carcass and started to suck blood. After a longer while, when she almost drank everything, she froze, looking on Taka.

"I... I left nothing." Confessed with breaking voice.

"That's good." Replied lion, in the same time looking for something in vault of lair. After a minute he pulled from ceiling a root of some herb and started to chew it. "I will satisfy with dry appetizer for now. But it doesn't matter, the point is to survive the storm. Then we will thing about a better drink."

"Taka... I'm afraid." Said lion.

„There is no reason to be afraid." Lied lion, then he laid next to female. "Now we have just wait."

After few minutes Kota's eyes used to darkness in den, so she could see her unexpected saviour better. And that view amazed her. Taka fell asleep, but in spite of that he was still holding Kota with left paw and his left limb was outstretched before him, as if he was ready to fight and defend her any time. For that few months since he left Dry Oasis, he had changed much. Still was skinny and light-built (then maybe even more), but it was just a testimony of his long and exhausting wanders. Under his dark fur a touch muscles were seen, that earlier had carried Kota to shelter. Face of lion was also different – more mature and more serious. Maybe it was because dim in lair, but Kota thought that clumsy adolescent she had been carrying few months earlier, then looked like a king. "Like the Golden King." Added silently. "He was walking through the desert like ruler of Golden Sands." But in that moment wandered opened his eyes and with smile he looked on Kota.

"You would better sleep." Advised. "Unless the storm is over, we must stay here. There is nothing to do with that."

"Maybe is." Whispered lioness. „Taka, what happened to you after you left Golden Sands?"

"Oh, you won't believe me anyway." He murmured, but she demanded a story. So he told her. And she believed.

\/\/\/

Dhalimu was leading a mourning ceremony in Acacia Alley. Golden Pride usually gives their dead to the desert – rulers put bodies on plateau on top of the massif and nearest sandstorm tears earthly remnants apart, spreading those over the dry ocean. That way deceased one was going away, still being in home, at least in certain sense. But in that case body hadn't been found.

"Kota was a brave lioness, devoted to her pride." Said Dhalimu. In spite of the best intentions, he couldn't say: 'and to the king' because he felt that is wasn't true. "Kota had been always plotting against me!" thought ruler, although sorrow of losing his subject was genuine and was almost muffling his anger. "She died, fulfilling her duties as a huntress. She stayed on desert – I believe that spirits of our ancestors were waiting for her. Hailed be brave Kota!" finished his speech, poured a paw of sand to the wind and set off in cave's direction, followed by sad lionesses. Only Raia remained a while longer, looking on horizon with hollow stare. But when she heard first shout of angry king, she run to the cave.

"I think that is nasty." Murmured Kota, lying on dune, on side of Taka. "They believe that I'm actually dead."

"And that is it!" whispered amused arbiter. "I would pay any price to see my own funeral."

"So how many I owe you for that privilege?" she asked with contrariness.

"A kiss." Smiled lion and licked Kota's cheek. They burst in merry laughter, but after a while arbiter narrowed his eyes and said seriously. "It's time. We must make a good impression. How my mane?"

"Dreadful, as always. And how I look?"

"As for a dead, wonderful." Replied Taka and when on his muzzle came a playfully smack, he added with smile. "As for a living one, of course wonderful too."

So they set off to the cave. They were a strange couple – she, beautiful, but hobbling on three paws, still based on Taka's side. He – proudly marching blackmaned, also was presenting on his body whole host of marks, a permanent record of his wanders and adventures: numerous scars, much lighter than his dark fur. Those were giving him serious and a bit scary appearance, at least as for four-year-old male. As a first spotted them Akra, when they reached Acacia Alley.

"Sir! Kota is alive!" called young lioness and run to newcomers. "Taka?" asked surprised, but instantly then she felt ashamed of calling arbiter just with name. "You are back, sir!" Added uncertainly.

"Taka the Second, arbiter of Lions Lands." Said blackmaned. "I must speak with your king. This is an urgent matter."

Seeing the freshly bereaved subject, monarch managed to find a lot of joy in his heart. But it wasn't enough to warm welcome for Taka. Although Dhalimu let the guest in, he still was looking on him with dreadful stare, as if he was waiting for a pretext to fight.

"An arbiter... Lions Lands haven't arbiters since generations..." murmured, when he placed guest on rather not so honourable seat, near entrance of cave.

"Maybe, sir, but the time has come for prides to again work together. If we take care about peace among us, hunger won't cease but it would be significantly reduced. We won't scare away the herds each other. A bit of self-control could save us from a disaster."

"Golden Sands are the most powerful of Lions Lands!" growled Dhalimu. "The biggest: yes." Agreed Taka in mind. "Most powerful? Well, should we count a hundreds of square kilometres of sands as a proof of power?" "We are managing without your advices." Finished king.

"I have never said that it is not true." Replied arbiter calmly, but he looked with a telling stare on wounds of Raia and Kota.

"Good!" added sandymaned. "We thank you for saving Kota, but you don't have to worry about or kingdom any longer. The king is leading us firmly and will be, with or without your alliance."

"So I'm humbly asking you, sir..." started Taka. "...to send two lionesses with me. I would teach them how to..."

"What?" gasped angry monarch. "You want to teach Golden Lionesses how to live on the desert?" Taka felt he went too far and wanted to quit his idea, but unexpectedly Niva supported him.

"My king..." she whispered to mate's ear. "Maybe you will try. Thanks to that we could re-establish a contact with other courts and..."

"'And' what?" hastened her ruler.

"News about welfare of Golden Sands would extol your name, darling."

Brownmaned was thinking some time, looking on queen then on arbiter. Finally he said with proud voice.

"So be it, blackmaned. Two Golden Ones will come with you..." meanwhile he was wondering who he could send. "I wish to rid off Kota, because she would again start to plot against me. I thought that I would get like her, because she gave her life for her monarch... but she HAD TO return! I bet she is already up to something. But on the other hand, Kota – because of her spite – won't tell about my successes as a king. I must send also somebody reliable and trustworthy..." His stare stopped on queen's sister. "Raia, Kota. I send you with Taka, to spread a news about our kingdom among others lions courts. Deliver them greetings from Golden Sands."

"Yes, my lord." Said Raia with barely repressing sorrow. She knew that king chose her because of her faithfulness, but incoming parting with Dhalimu was hard for her.

"Yes, sir!" almost shouted Kota, barely repressing her joy. She looked on Taka and smiled. Maybe not everything had gone as they planned, but they were about to be together for few months.

"So eat, drink and go, when you are ready." Ordered Dhalimu. "This audience is over."


	7. VII For king and country

VII

VII. For king and country

From Golden Sands they set off to Sahel Plains. That kingdom was bordered upon Pridelands on the east. It lied over one of the tributary of Border River. Once. In those days the border with Taka's homeland was just a strip of swamp, so salty that even arbiter was afraid of drinking from it. But not drinking was a goal of journey. Raia, Kota and Taka were going on court of Hodari – Sahel Plains king. Old ruler had been cooperating with arbiter since some time, but blackmaned tried to often refresh friendship with monarchs supporting him. Moreover, he had something more on mind.

"Amali and Mtanga." He thought. "They weren't in South Forest, because forest is completely lifeless. They are still looking for their place or they stopped on one of the courts. Or maybe..." But he ceased that grim thought and was marching ahead. His sister just couldn't die, that would be absurd. She always had more luck, even most sophisticated pranks, for whose Taka and Dahabu were punished severely, got away scot-free for her. "And parents surely are caring for her." Added lion silently. "We care about you too." Sounded in his mind, but it could be just a sun-stroke illusion.

"Sir, are we turning west?" asked Raia suspiciously.

Indeed – thoughtful lion sidetracked on right. He hadn't noticed when he turned away from Limestone Alley (a route discovered by Taka when he was returning from Golden Sands) and voice of lioness awoke him from reverie. Immediately he shook off the heavy thoughts and joined queen's sister and Kota.

"No. I just have checked sand's temperature." Replied and goldenfurred burst in laughter, clearly seeing error of lion.

"So still due south?" asked Raia with grave seriousness. "Good, you are leading, sir."

They were a strange fellowship – Kota and Taka were behaving like young cubs, laughing and playing pranks, probably slowly understanding they have a case on each other. Meanwhile sandyfurred was marching next to them, although far from them in the same time. She was speaking little, as if she wasn't going with old friend and interesting teacher, but among strangers. Only in case of learning of the desert life, Raia was curious, inquiring and demanding more and more of new knowledge. She took seriously ruler's order and was trying to learn as much as she could.

Kota addressed Taka by name probably since always. But Raia called him 'sir', giving in it a decent dose of official respect. Asked why she did rubbed shoulders with lion, she replied with no hesitation.

"If my king recognized you as an arbiter, you are worthy of my respect due to you title." And of course she added with serious tone. "Sir!"

Taka couldn't say that he don't like sandyfurred. Actually was just the opposite – firm character of lioness, her strength of will and smart mind aroused a genuine admire of wanderer. But Raia just couldn't win a true friendship because she didn't ask for it. She favoured him just with cold kindness and all acts that Taka could recognise as proofs of fondness were connected with a gratitude towards his as a teacher. Finally arbiter found that Raia wasn't able to get like him unless he prove he was a friend of her beloved king.

During nights on open air (that was: four of five rest in their journey), whole three was sleeping together, side to side, due to security matters. But if Kota and Taka both enjoyed and felt a bit ashamed by that intimacy, sandyfurred seemed to completely ignoring closeness of male and innocent caresses that her companions were exchanging.

"Tomorrow we should be there." Said Raia on last stop, lying down next to Kota. "Sir, awake us before the dawn. We will collect a dew..."

"In that den dew will stay to the dawn." Murmured surprised Taka, pointing on pan in rock. "There is no need to wake up so early. We will drink anyway..."

"But I prefer to see how you are collecting moisture from as small stones as those ones." She looked on pile of limestone pieces nearby their bedding. "Please."

"Yes, of course." Agreed a bit ashamed arbiter. "Kota?"

"Thank you, but I prefer to sleep a little longer..."

\/\/\/

Sahel Plains never were a fertile land. Once it was placed partially on swamps and main prey of local lions were either giant and extremely hard to kill cape buffalos or small game from marsh. When the Second Drought came, swamps dried up, turning into weird-looking plains of sallow lumps. Only swamp that remained was a bed of Muddy Torrent, one of the Border River's tributary. Rest of territory was covered with dried savannah, on north slowly turning into a desert. But in spite of that... or maybe: thanks to that, the crisis hadn't destroyed Sahel Plains. There was little preys, but there always was little. There was too less water, as well as earlier was too much. King and ten of his lionesses were living peacefully in their land, quite nicely enduring trials of the Circle of Life. Without hesitation they joined Taka's alliance, surrendering to requests and restrictions in hunting preys, demanded by arbiter. Additionally old, hoarymaned monarch, welcomed guest warmly.

"We haven't many goods to share, but what we have is yours as well." Announced ruler with conviction.

Sahel Cave was in cliff of Muddy Torrent. Entrance was directed north, but from midday sun, keep was shielded by high wall of the other bank of river. It was a calm and secluded place where our trio could rest from constant wind of desert and omnipresent sand. Hodari led his guests to his keep, still talking with proud voice.

"I'm afraid that you may find my cave a bit narrow, because we already hosting few additional manes. But those are nice guests so I believe you will live on goods term with them."

"Who..." started lion, but in that moment he noticed on doorstep of cave well known silhouette.

"Taka?" asked amazed Amali. „Brother..."

„Yes, it's me again." Replied blackmaned, carefully hiding a sigh of relief, seeing her sister. "It happened that Circle of Life guided me here."

"Mtanga!" called Pridelandress to cave. "Look who is here!"

"Come in, come in!" invited Horadi. "I will introduce you to my lionesses and my queen."

Inside they found ten females, including one, lying on special prepared bedding. Taka quickly figured out that was ruler's mate, expecting a child. Moreover in Hodari's cave were living four additional lions: Taka's brother-in-law, Mtanga and three rogues, met by arbiter's sister and her mate during their way from South Forest.

"Baridi, Hofu, Udole." Introduced them Mtanga. In voice of male Taka sensed a carefully hidden irritation, however blackmaned wasn't able to find the reason. "We are here thanks to Horadi's hospitality. But if he has now eighteen mouths to feed we must reconsider further way. Especially that lady Kivuli could deliver any moment..." added with clear annoyance and pointed on queen.

"There is no hurry, my friend." Replied ruler with merry voice. "Until we could feed you we will host you. But Taka, my dear, tell us what with yours? In Pridelands, in Golden Sands..."

So arbiter sat down inside of circle of lionesses and started to tell news from others Lions Lands. Finally he told a brief report from his grandmother's kingdom. Those news interested both Sahel Ones and, unexpectedly, Mtanga. Wanderer inquired about detail on Dhabau's reign, making Raia very suspicious.

"I don't like him." Whispered to Kota. "He is trying to put Taka on to criticise our lord."

"Taka said nothing untrue about Dhalimu." Replied goldenfurred, although she also was a bit confused by interest of lion.

"He refuses to participate in alliance..." murmured Hodari. "That's bad, but we can't help it. He is a king after all."

"If he exercises his power in bad way, he should to be deposed." Threw Mtanga en passant. Hearing this Raia gasped. "That's a fact, miss. Rulers have theirs duties to their subjects."

"Indeed." Agreed sandyfurred. „For example: to defend kingdom from strays..."

But that reply missed of attention of gathered lions. Instead of that king, lionesses and guests laid down to sleep in deeper chamber. For a while Taka was talking with sister, but soon those two fell asleep too. The only awaken creatures in Sahel Plains were four of lions: Mtanga and his companions.

Just after end of arbiter's tale, they sneaked out the cave and went on savannah, about half a mile away from royal keep. All they were marching in silence, as if dead plain could eavesdrop their talks. Night was dark, moonless and even stars seemed to shine not as bright as usual, partially shaded over dusty clouds. It was an ideal time for plotters and secret deliberations.

"Hunt me down!" thought enraged Mtanga. "Everything was going so well... Old Hodari hadn't children apart of deceased Asta. What came over him to take a young mate and conceive a cub? He got like Amali so much, that he was treating her almost as a daughter. I thought that I would get the throne thanks to that, but he had to complicate all things!" He stopped that angrily thoughts to recall Taka's words. "But maybe it's time to search for another chance. That Dhalimu must be a real rascal. Even crippled zebra won't shed a tear after him, if we depose him. It could be arranged, if guys help. And they will help if I... convince them to our sacred cause... That is: crown for me!"

They stopped under a lone acacia, then Mtanga took a look around, checking if somebody is watching them. Finally, clearly appeased, he climbed on some low branch of tree and looked on his friends. He smiled in mind.

"Listen to me... I know where we should go." Started with fiery tone. "You heard about dreadful Dhalimu and his bloody reign. That is our aim: to get know more about him and then make all what will be necessary to depose him!"

"Hm..." interrupted Baridi. "But what if we are wrong? One of those lionesses told many good things about that king."

"But he is a king!" replied wandered. "Everyone of them is evil. And that one especially..."

"But, but..." threw Hofu. "...when we were trying to liberate Pridelands from Dahabu, it turned out that all lionesses came to help him! He was defended not only by a queen but also others females. We had to run, because that so called 'oppressed subjects' were ready to stand for a tyrant..."

"No!" gasped Mtanga. "The time will come for Pridelands." He added. "I'm too weak to prevail Dahabu by my own and guys failed that time. Maybe Golden Sands would be easier pray for us." He thought and said. "Those lionesses were so oppressed that they even were unable to feel the taste of freedom. That why they were defending their own persecutor. But in Golden Sands will be different. There the pride is ready to live without a king." Finished with firm voice and added in mind. "...but it would be even better if I were a king! We must just make a reconnaissance... Or even we will be able to convince noble Taka to do the dirty job." Then he said aloud. "We will make sure of that. Who are we?"

"Tyrannocides!" called three lions.

"With whom we fight?"

"With wicked monarchs!"

"What for we seek?" asked wanderer with passion in his voice and chocking laughter in his soul.

"Freedom for all!" cried rogues.

"Exactly!" whispered with grave voice Mtanga. "We will depose that king and some day: every king. The time of monarchs passed. We are the future! The freedom will prevail!"

Song "The rain to come". Melody is mysterious and ominous with a tune of pathos.

Mtanga jumps down from branch among rogues – they jump aside. Lion turns to acacia and hit with all might in branch he was sitting earlier. It breaks to pieces – it was rotten.

_Like drought is turning wood into the dried, dead rot_

_The same our old world is rotten, falling on the spot_

In his paws remain a portion of touchwood. He slowly spills it on the ground.

_So let's from its pathetic rest_

_Create the new, create the best_

_A brave new world proper just for a brave new day_

Small heap he created, he treads into ground, then he returns to trunk of tree.

_After old pictures left so many hollow frames_

_It's time for change and burn the thrashes that remain_

He extends his claws and scratches on acacia's bark.

_In the era of bared teeth_

_The strength is what we do believe _

_And with the claws we'll punish tyrants of today_

He pulls out a piece of bark and smash it into smaller pieces.

_Chorus:_

_Because old world is dried and we are rain to come_

_We burn all weeds and pull out roots that they are from_

He pull the sprout that sticks out from ground. He discovers he is holding a solid root of tree, so he cuts it with claw and throws away.

_On scorched soil it's time to sow_

_Bring ashes fruit, bring dust to grow_

_That just because we are the promised rain to come_

He tosses up a pawful of sand. Sand falls on three rogues. They, a bit irritated, shook it off.

Second verse:

_The throne is past and finally came a time for change_

_There is a king in every one, the reign's in range_

Mtanga comes to rogues and bends down to Baridi's ear. Sings.

_Let every one be oneself king_

_The freedom's call is what we sing_

_And the shine of equality what we arrange_

Than he stands between Hofu and Udole, points on a ground below theirs feet.

_Oh, kingship was a pitiful failure to the core_

_Whatever it created soon will be no more_

He digs in sand, to get to some dried bone.

_Maybe that dead and pitiful grave_

_Will be the only thing is saved_

_From times of ignorance, times of obscurants lore_

With decisive move he throws bone away. To dodge it, Hofu falls on the ground. Bone flies further, then smash to pieces after hitting the trunk of acacia.

Chorus:

_Because old world is dried and we are rain to come_

_We burn all weeds and pull out roots that they are from_

Next to place he found a bone, Mtanga with extended claws ploughs the soil then with one of his claw he cut his won paw. A drop of blood falls on ploughed sand.

_On scorched soil it's time to sow_

_Water with blood the sprouts to grow_

_That just because we are the promised rain to come_

Under decisive stare of Mtanga, all rogues extend theirs claws, cut pawpads and sprinkle sand with blood. Then all three goes away. We see a zoom-in on acacia trunk, where Mtanga pulled out a branch. Tree is rotten inside and when lions are gone, a fragment of bark falls inside the hollow trunk.

\/\/\/

On the next day there was a quick farewell. Taka decided that Raia and Kota had taught enough and they could return to Golden Sands. Goldenfurred wasn't so sure about that, but her sandy friend was insisting. Additionally arbiter didn't want to burden hospitable pride any longer.

"I know you don't drive us away, sir." He explained Horadi. "Wherever I'll go, I'll tell about hospitality and generosity of your pride. But we have no right to overuse your kindness. Soon your cub will be born. Whole pride have to carrying about him. We don't want to disturb."

"So Godspeed then." Said old ruler. "Sahel Plains will remain in alliance."

Taka came to sister, standing next to her mate. He nodded his head, so Pridelandress left Mtanga and went aside.

"Will you be all right?" asked blackmaned.

"That a strange question. I'm the older sister and I should take care about you, younger brother. I should be worried."

"So I suppose, you will." Replied arbiter. "Just remember, that if some goes wrong... Dahabu will welcome you home anytime. He went through some hard times but has changed a lot and for good. Believe me."

"I believe." Said lioness. "But we will try to find some haven elsewhere. Mtanga just couldn't live in pride as a subject."

"Do as you like. Just if you need of hospitality of one of prides, just tell that you are my sister. I'm rather liked among Lions Lands..."

"...especially when you are away!" finished Amali and siblings burst in laughter. "Right, go now, or I'll cry. Your golden girlfriend is waiting."

So Taka set off to Kota and Raia, standing on dune nearby. Goldenfurred was actually waiting for him and when he got there, she held out her muzzle for lick. The second of lionesses was already looking on the desert, probably being in her mind with her king.

"Ready?" asked arbiter and when both females nodded her head (Raia after a longer while – for some time she was awakening from reverie), then started to march in Golden Sands direction.

\/\/\/

Way back was disrupted by some nasty accident. Raia, coming down from dune's slope, lost her balance, slipped on loose sand and hit some dead trunk in valley. Kota, marching next to friend, commented that with a burst of laughter, but soon she fell silent, seeing that sandyfurred had twisted paw.

"Damn!" gasped Taka, as if he was replacing lioness in yell of pain – Raia made no sound of complain nor cursed. "Badly?"

"I don't know." She said. „I feel nothing there."

"Taka... you asked us to watch the clouds..." she discretely pointed on cumulus of dust, growing fast on horizon. Raia noticed that gesture.

"A storm." She said. „It will be here in few hours."

Taka looked on her, for a while estimating his strength. Finally he kneeled next to queen's sister and tried to take her on back. He succeeded on second attempt when Kota helped him.

"That is stupid." Murmured the carried one. "I will slow you too much. Leave me under some rock. Maybe I'll stand it and..."

"We will get to Golden Sands or to Dried Oasis." Interrupted arbiter. "Raia, I beg you: hang still and you won't exhaust me so fast."

They set off again. After a short hesitation Taka decided to leave the comfortable path on rock and go straight through desert. Limestone Alley in storm couldn't shield them from wind and night without drinking was much easier to stand than fury of sandstorm. Thanks to shortcut they were about to save few hours. It was possible due to strict sharing of tasks – arbiter was carrying sandyfurred on his back and Kota was marching before them, clearing the path. When the first wave of storm hit they were just five kilometres from Golden Rock.

"A break?" asked goldenfurred, panting aloud.

"Not now!" replied Taka. "If we stop now, we won't start again." There was still two hours to dusk, but it was dark anyway – clouds of sand dimmed the sun. wind started to hit more and more painfully marching lions. "We won't get it!" panted Taka. "Kota, run to yours and bring some help. I will stay with Raia."

"No, you go, Taka." Whispered goldenfurred, probably even more exhausted that arbiter. "I'm not in condition to run."

So blackmaned put sandyfurred on the ground and laid down Kota next to her. Then he started to run in shortest route to the cave. After few seconds he understood he did well – sprint against the wind was much heavier than waiting for help. He was glad that Kota didn't have to wrestle with element.

To Acacia Alley he got after just an hour of intensive run. He went between rows of trees to see with amaze a whole Golden Pride outside the cave. Inside of group was walking Dhalimu with unconscious Niva on his back. "Again he ordered them to hunt in the storm!" thought furious Taka.

"I need help! Raia and Kota are on the route!"

"You left them in desert?" growled king with amaze. "Are you mad?!"

"Maybe." Thought arbiter. „But surely not as mad as you." And added loud. "Come, faster! Until it's too late!"

Ruler wagged his tail, calling two lionesses nearby, who were in the best condition. Taka noticed that were probably Akra and Simmi, but omnipresent sand didn't let him make sure.

"Follow me!" ordered arbiter and lions formed a row behind him.

To Kota and Raia they got supporting by wind in backs. It turned out that females had lost their temper and tried to walk... or crawl on their own in home's direction. Goldenfurred, shielding queen's sister got numerous cuts due to hitting sand, so she was no longer able to march on her own. Akra and Taka took her on backs and Raia was took by Simmi and Dhalimu. In half a way rescue team met a patrol of four more lionesses, who after few draughts of water had run to support king. They got to Acacia Alley heavily scratched but alive.

And furious.

"You left my lionesses, that I have commended under your charge!" growled brownmaned when they passed the cave's doorstep.

Taka was amazed by that nonsense reproach so we went angry too. He thought that he would be greeted as a hero, mean Dhalimu seemed to want to expulse guest out.

"I have saved your lionesses, you didn't take care of!" replied in impulse. "Had I carry them both on back?!"

"You have to deliver them safe to home." Gasped Dhalimu, pointing on travelleresses, unconscious or barely conscious due to pain and exhaustion. "Great!" thought blackmaned. "And you CAN send subject to die!"

"I can assure you, they are in far better condition than was your hunting team, last time we met!"

"Silence!" growled Dhalimu. Taka was extending his claws, but in the same moment he understood what meant open conflict with monarch. "He is Kota's ruler." He thought with fear. "She will have trouble because of me..." And king was shouting still with furious voice. "I don't want to see you here... ever! You can wait until down, then you will go away and never return to Golden Sands, arbiter."

Blackmaned took a quick look on lionesses lying on the floor. Kota couldn't say what was actually. Raia wasn't able to appease ruler. Niva couldn't use her authority to ask for Taka. They all were unconscious. But Akra was awake and was looking on Taka with fear. She didn't have to say anything, arbiter understood. "Just one word more and he falls in rage. That would the end..."

"I almost lost two subjects because of you!" was whispering Dhalimu with voice chocking with anger. "Who are you? A courier and storyteller of prides. You have nothing to do with Golden Lions. I forbid you to speak with any lioness, understand? That sentence is ultimate!"

"He speaks about Kota, I know it." Thought shocked lion. And he was closer to desperate attack then ever before. Claws went out from paw-pads and were calling to pounce on proud despot and tear his muzzle to pieces. Word turned to black and white pictures, time slowed down, just like before hunting... of a fight. But then Taka heard a weak moan of unconscious Kota, when she was lifting by friends. "I can't! She will die if I try..." Taka relaxed his muscles and hid his claws.

"Good. I will go away." He whispered humbly. "Forgive me, sir."

The storm ended before dawn, before Kota regained her consciousness. Akra told leaving Taka, that she would tell everything to goldenfurred. "I so wished to hear your voice, before I go... just for farewell..." thought arbiter. "But I can't risk. I'm leaving for you, Kota."

He was marching slowly into Pridelands direction and hot sand was burning his paw-pads like never before.


	8. VIII The songs of Desert

VIII

VIII. The songs of Desert

Kota awoke on evening, when Beluwa was washing her wounds. The first thought of lioness was: don't waste our water! She tried to get up, but her friend hold her down and again put on bedding.

"King ordered to take care of you." She said. "And we have already drank."

"Raia... Niva!" whispered goldenfurred.

"Easy, they are alive." Explained her caretaker. "Wounded and exhausted, but they soon will recover. Now they are sleeping, so be quieter."

"Call Taka." Asked Kota.

"Sir Taka... went away." Replied Beluwa with tensed voice. "After... an argument with king."

"Went away? Where?!" yelled goldenfurred.

"I don't know. About dusk he set off from Golden Sands. He asked about you, but he didn't want to leave any message. King ordered him to leave at once." She gently put her paw on friends shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"I must stand up..." gasped lioness and tensed her muscles. But body was disobedient, inert, as if it was still sleeping. After few seconds of struggle with weakness to goldenfurred's mind came a impulse of pain from wounded side. She wasn't able to stand, so she couldn't even thing about following Taka.

"Lay low. Dhalimu is worrying about you... about you all. He went on hunting in person..." explained Beluwa with uncertain voice. Probably she wasn't sure what to think about ruler's behaviour. "Should I be grateful to him?" gasped Kota silently. "He took Taka away from me. I hate him!"

"Yes." She agreed aloud. "I will rest."

So Beluwa stood up and went to unconscious queen to repeat every required healing procedures. Golden Cave was almost empty and only sounds that were heard there were quiet steps of lionesses, nursing wounded and sleepy breathing of Niva and Raia. Then also sobbing of Kota joined.

\/\/\/

Meanwhile Taka reached the Dry Oasis. He didn't intend to stay in pan, but loud calling of Kauli caught his attention. So he went down to valley and when his eyes used to shade, he noticed python, rolled around acacia.

"Good afternoon!" greeted him snake.

"Not so good for me." Murmured blackmaned.

"Ssso maybe let ssstart in different way..." added former chamberlain. "Hello. Would you drink with me?"

"Should I uncover your well?" asked Taka, starting to dig.

"No. I just have propossssed you a drink." Replied snake. "You have to calm down and tell me what hassss happened."

"You weren't there..." gasped lion. "You wouldn't understand..."

"I wasn't there, sssso I have greater chancessss to understand." Disagreed python. "I'm not as furioussss as you, I'm not so desssssperate as you. I do not afraid as you. My fear doesssssn't blind me."

"I fear no one!" growled Taka, extending his claws.

"You do. You fear that Dhalimu would hurt Kota." Judged python. He slipped down from tree and rolled around lion's neck. Through fur he sensed that his friend's muscles were tensed and he was shivering due to anger. "If not Kota, you would have challenged him." "No!" wanted to oppose blackmaned, but reptile was still talking. "But if you did it, you would became the ssssame as he is!"

"What?!" growled Taka, shaking Kauli off his back. „Don't you dare to say that!"

"And if you would have been sure that Kota is safe and you have challenged Dhalimu, what would has happened?"

"I would killed that rascal!" replied Taka with no hesitation. He clenched his right paw.

"And..."

"And... I would became a king?" asked lion, as if that thought had never come to his mind.

"You just had undersssstood what it mean?" asked python, showing his surprise. "You would get the throne just because of love for Kota and hatred towardssss Dhalimu. Think! What a king you would be! Taking rule for own profit, don't carrying for fate of kingdom."

"For Kota, only because of her!"

"Golden Sands are not jusssst Kota." Noticed former chamberlain. "Dhalimu caressss only about own fame. But are you sure, you care about something more? If you really love Kota, you will do everything to ssssecure her future... and not to endanger her."

"That means..."

"I don't know... You are responssssible for her, not me!"

Taka lost his temper. He just turned away from snake and started to climb up on valley's slope. Python called him, but blackmaned was deaf to that. He went on hot sand and started to run south. In fact he didn't intend to return home, but his paws were guiding him ahead. Instinct forced him to march on Limestone Alley and when he sensed a solid ground under his paws, he switched off his reason and fell into mindless trans of constant run, ignoring exhaustion and thirst. The same he completely ignored signs of growing wind. When sun set he was still speeding south-east, keeping his head low and not watching way before him.

Fatigue struck his body about midnight. In one moment Taka lost his balance and fell on limestone ground, still impulsive waving his paws in the air. After a while he stopped and laid motionless, gathering strength to further way. Night was bright, although moonless. Stars were shining on clear sky, none of sandy cloud were dimming firmament. Wind was growing slowly, but in that moment it was still a fresh and pleasant breeze. No sound was disturbing the silence of night. All life had to sleep, moved closer to wetter areas or to dig deeper. Taka understood that he was all alone on that dead wasteland.

"I guess I fell asleep. Asleep, still being awake." He thought. "I must rest a little, then go ahead."

But then came to him quite obvious thought: actually he had nowhere to go. Although he way lying in the centre of desert, in spirit he was in the same place he had been, retreating from Pridelands six months earlier. Again he ran ahead, escaping from something, not going to something. "Since dad's death I don't know who I am. My old life has ended and a new one still hasn't started. What I should do?" He stood up carefully and based on paws, shivering because of exhaustion. He made few steps ahead and looked up, on thousands of stars over him.

"Father!" called in silent night. "Hear me!"

He sensed a strange feeling, and noticed that one of stars faded on second, that burst in even brighter light. But it could be just an illusion – his head was dizzy and sight was dimmed due to dehydration. But he put his faith in that abstract feeling and irrational hope, that someone was listening. So he was still looking on mysterious star on north-east horizon.

"Father! Help me! I'm lost... I don't know where to go." He fell silent, waiting for any answer that didn't come. "I don't know who I am and if I have right to claim for something that was never mine. Dad, show me the way!" he asked, but star was silent. "You knew everything! You knew that was necessary to help mom, to disobey grandpa Simba... But what I have to do? Father, I don't hear you!" he sat on rocks, counting heartbeats. After ten claps inside of his tired chest he added with quiet voice. "Mom? Would you help me?"

"Don't you dare!" gasped Scar, a bit harsher than he wanted to. "You are not allowed to contact with him, as well as I."

Spirits of parents and grandfather weren't looking on descendant from the sky, but were standing next to him on Limestone Alley. Since some time Vitani and Tanabi had been following step by step after son. But his famous namesake was also there. He was just watching daughter and son-in-law and reminding them rules of Circle, as well as consequences of transgressing those.

"You can't interfere now." Said Scar seriously. "I don't know what will happen, but I sense that Taka's decision would change whole round of the Circle of Life."

"Dad..." whispered Vitani. Her voice was tensed and shivering, but anyway inaudible for living ones. "I'm so worried about him. Give just... to say few words."

"And what you will say him?" asked star arbiter. "You know what advice him? If he have to leave lioness he love and regret that till the end of his days or to challenge your nephew in a suicide duel? And whole round of Circle is..." he stopped, regretting he started that theme.

"What: round of the circle?" asked Tanabi.

"I don't think I have to remind you the past." Replied Scar carefully. "You remember that every round of Circle was announced by some tragedy. To end the war between prides, your mother, Nuka, Hawaa, Sarafina, Sarabi and Sakia had to die. For you to become a king, your father almost blinded you."

"And to end the Great Drought you, Shakisa and many others died. If we for every good have to pay so dear?" asked angry Tanabi.

"I have no idea." Confessed dead king. "But I'm afraid that every wrong intervention from us would multiply that price. Trust in living ones, don't matter how you love them. Trust them because you love them."

"You did help us!" called Simba's son.

"Because I was sure what to do. Now I have no idea. And you?" Tanabi was looking on him uneasy stare but then pointed his eyes into the ground and said.

"Me too. But maybe we could just show him, how we love him..."

"Without words?"

"Without words."

And then a new blow of wind swept sitting Taka the Second. It was special wind – warm but not hot, warming, not drying, giving relief to lost lion. Blackmaned without any sound surrendered to caress of nightly air. He stoop up to fell unknown feeling with all his body. He remained that way for several minutes, until wind ceased.

"Yes... a storm!" whispered lion. Fatigue disappeared in one second and instead of it a new might and will to life pervaded wanderer's body. In heart of blackmaned a lost Taka fell asleep and arbiter woke up. "Maybe I still don't know where to go..." she set off, murmuring quietly. "...but I know where I should guide the others. I'm responsible for all who are given under my charge. I'm the arbiter..." and then recent dilemmas faded out. "I AM THE ARBITER!" called in silence of the night. "I have to guide my prides, teach them and take care of their prosperity. I'm not a king and I swore it off. I promised..." he recalled words he had told in front of his brother. "I won't interfere in matter that are not mine. I have my own!"

And he was going further, appeased by that thoughts. He was sure that Kota would understood his decision. Night was about to end.

\/\/\/

On morning Dahabu was awoke by uneasy murmur among lionesses. King opened his eyes, stood and took a look on his cave. Most of his subjects were standing on doorstep of chamber and looking outside. Rest was surrounding Amali, who was standing on the ledge. Seeing sister, ruler dimmed remnants of sleep and ran to newcomer.

"Welcome, sis!" called with joy, unexpected joy, for a lion awoken on so early hour.

"Hi, Dah..." nodded shyly lioness.

"What happened?" asked goldenmaned, coming to princess and licking her cheek.

"I'm here..." she replied. "Will you host me in you cave?"

"Of course, I will!" answered confused lion. He looked on Baka and gasped. "Bring some water for Amali. Now!" He again turned to sister and asked. "But where is Mtanga?"

"I don't know." She confessed. "He told me to wait here, until he deal with his matters." She came further to chamber and took her old place, next to west wall. After a while Baka brought a gourd of fresh water and Amali thanked her with a nod. "He went on desert with his friends, I guess, companions from cub-times. He didn't say whet he intended, but he assured that is something important."

"Hm..." murmured confused Dahabu. "I can't help you in this matter, but you may stay here as long as you wish. I will host you..." but he corrected immediately. "No, I can't host you, because it is your home too!"

"And Taka's" added Amali instinctively, but instantly understood that remark could offend king.

"And Taka's." Agreed monarch. "I hope he will be back here soon..." said with some strange expression on his face. "He promised to tell us when his alliance is complete. But it doesn't matter now. Tell me, what happen to you..." So lionesses started to say her story.

Meanwhile, many miles north-west from Priderock, Mtanga and his three companions were carefully observing the Golden Pride. Hidden on one of the dunes, west from Golden Cave were looking on Dhalimu's lionesses, who were searching for something on desert.

"What they search for in such a heat?" asked Baridi. Sun, although it was still low above the horizon, was already scorching hard, turning a chill morning into hot day.

"For us!" thought Mtanga. "They sensed the presence of intruders, who steal them preys and drink their water. Not surprisingly they looking for us and not to thank us for our care." Of course he didn't say it to companions. "They are desperate." He said. "They trying to find some new herds and new sources. That another reason we must act quickly."

"So... what for we waiting for?" asked Hufu. "Let go to their cave and finish that mad-lion on the throne."

"Not SO quickly!" gasped Mtanga. "We must be careful. Remember what happened when we tried to liberate Pridelands. We have to make sure that we take out Dhalimu in one, clean blow, without endangering those poor lionesses. I know that despot is a great burden for his pride. He abused his subject and endangers them. He beats own mate and despise pride-lionesses. That must be stopped, but when we will be sure of win. Understand?" he explained patiently and added in mind. "But first of all I have to find some way to take over the land as a king. That is: to get rid you off, my tyrannocides!"

"So we are waiting?" asked tired Udole.

"Yes. You must get know more about pride and I will bring Amali here. I'll be back as soon as possible." And he set off downhill, directing south. Rogues were quite surprised, but no one objected.

"But... but maybe we don't involve her to this... at least for now." Suggested Hofu. "Maybe we send for her when it all will be over? When we already create the First Lions Republic?"

"No!" replied Mtanga. "She wants to participate in that. We have no right to forbid her. Do you remember? Equal rights!"

"Right!" said rogue. "So... Godspeed. Be back soon." Mtanga already wasn't listening, just running into Pridelands direction. And Hofu turned to friends with uncertain stare. "Guys... I know it sounds silly... But we actually have never thought about those kings..."

"Hm?" asked Baridi, confused and bored by idle laying.

"See... Mtanga is our friend, right? But he is also mate of Pridelands Princess. If Dahabu dies and Amala inherits a throne..."

"You're talking rots!" interrupted him Hofu. "If he wanted a throne, he surely wouldn't hang with rogues like us and plans a struggle with tyrants."

"Of course, if he isn't planning to get rule after tyrants he depose..." threw Udole, but he was rebuked by heavy stare of friend. "I'm sorry, that is idiotic idea. Mtanga is one of us."

"But look..." something was still bothering Baridi. "Amali is very nice and good for us although she is a princess. So maybe her brother isn't so bad..."

"Don't think too much. Mtanga is much better in that." Advised Hofu. "We will live with Golden Pride, when we take out their king. With Amali too. Then she show that princesses aren't bad, on condition that they don't want to rule." She stopped for a while, thinking about something too. "I just don't get it, why Mtanga is going for her if we are still don't know if we win with Dhalimu..."

Fortunately Mtanga knew it well.

"I must have Amali at my side, just in case. I can trust only her, when I proclaim myself a king." Lion came down from dune and went to Limestone Alley. He was praising Taka in mind, because arbiter was telling everyone about his discovers on desert. "Thanks to naivety of my brother-in-law my life is much easier. That gallant is running on desert, thinking he is saving the world and its nearest vicinity. And when he will save himself? I'm thinking about the throne for me and Amali and soon I will get it. If not thanks to rogues, maybe thanks to Taka. I could put him on challenging Dhalimu. I would wait until end of that duel and then finish a winner. Dhalimu, because he killed my brother-in-law. Or Taka, punishing that insolent regicide. One way or another, the justice will be on my side." Sunk in thoughts he didn't notice that over next hill was waiting a lost lioness.

"Forgive me, my lord." Sobbed whitefurred. "I just went on a walk when you went to search for those trespassers... It was going well but I got dirty my wound and..." Confused Mtanga was looking on beautiful female, helplessly lying on the sand. She was holding a wounded paw in the air, trying to lick her cut. Rogue was coming from sun's direction, so he wasn't recognised. "Dhalimu, my dear, don't be angry on me. You have to help me. I can't get on my own..." Suddenly Niva noticed that enlighten by sunrays silhouette wasn't her mate. "Who are..."

"Hush... easy, ma'am." Replied Mtanga nervously. His mind was working hard to find any solution for that deconspiration. He have no idea for excuse or lie he would fool queen and Golden Pride. Finally he tried the easiest way. "I'm Taka's friend."

"Taka..." sighed queen with relief. "But better don't say it Dhalimu. Now help me to stand and return to Golden Cave..."

"Sure, your highness." Replied rogues, who understood with whom he was talking. And in the same time a genius idea sparkled in his mind. It was so obvious and easy to apply, that he initially couldn't believe in his luck. Of course it wasn't too elegant and too noble solution, but Mtanga had already stopped to care about both aesthetical and moral matters. "I have ordered my boys to kill my brother-in-law. I'm going to kill Dhalimu. I'm sorry, my queen, but you came to bad place in bad time. But believe me – your sacrifice won't be taken in vain." He thought.

"I'm on my way, ma'am." Murmured lion, coming from back-side to immobilised female. "I will take care of you..."

Then he neatly aimed a blow and with hit with paw Niva's nape. He was a strong lion and she was fragile lioness. Although his claws were hidden, heavy paw was a terrible weapon. It sounded a nauseating crunch of cracking spine and whitefurred's head fell motionless on the sand. To be sure, Mtanga repeated a hit, carefully not to leave any trace. Then he set off to south. His plan was simple.

He had to find Taka, convince him to visit the Golden Sands again. "I wonder what will do our hero, knowing that Dhalimu had murdered his own mate. My tiny revolution frames as very interesting. The strong ones fight by their strength. The wise ones fight with strong ones." And convinced about his victory he was still marching to domain of his brother-in-law.

\/\/\/

Taka met on his way lionesses from Sahel Plains. Queen Kivuli had gave birth to her son and whole pride was hunting to provide mother a solid diet. Arbiter heard with joy and pride about heir of friendly kingdom. Among merry and airy females of Sahel Plains he almost forgot about his troubles. He stayed with hunting team on one night in shelter of unnamed rock (however lionesses quickly named the cave 'The Simo's Cave', because it was a name of newborn prince.) and eating meat of theirs preys, hearing theirs tales, was asked to tell some story about Kings of the Past.

"Well... and why not?" thought lion. "I'm the arbiter and also a bard of the desert. If I achieve nothing in my life at least I'll show the others that everyone could be great, victorious and noble."

"That is a tale about my great-grandfather, king Arista, who was ruling in Golden Sands before the Great Drought." He announced and started to sing with his gentle voice. Song sounded on lifeless plain, to fade out somewhere on horizon. And from the sky two pairs of eyes were watching on bard.

"I don't know if we are doing right, my daughter." Said Zira. "But if you are sure that you want it, I'll help him the best I could."

"Try, mom..." asked Vitani. "If we do nothing, the Circle will crush not only Taka but also everyone in your... our..." she corrected quickly, looking in Golden Sand's direction. "...home."

"He sings about me." Smiled Zira. „He calls me a heroine. I wonder if he ever suspected that he would be a subject of such songs..." she looked on grandson with anxiety but also with hope. "We just have to make sure if those songs will be triumphal ones."


	9. IX Calm before the Storm

IX

IX. Calm before the Storm

Furious lionesses returned to cave in the evening. They hadn't found even a trace of intruders that Dhalimu had told them about. But none on them complained directly about king. Their irritation gave vent in rebukes that they were gasping to each other. That made mood of cave unbearable. Fortunately Dhalimu was not there to complicate situation even more. Ruler was hunting with Baka, one of the youngest lionesses. Dhalimu saved her, bringing from ill-fated hunting in sandstorm two days earlier. Since that time little greyfurred became king's favourite and was accompanying him in hunts. In fact she had that honour even when the rest of pride was looking for mysterious intruders. Monarch and his companion left about midday, so they about not to return before midnight. That why Golden Pride had a few hours for unpunished complains and grumbling. But that evening the usual irritation, amplified by wasted day of wandering on heat turned to the seed of real mutiny.

Kota was walking in cave, angry and constantly scolding on pride-mates. She was furious on no one personally, with harshness she was just hiding her regret and growing loneliness for Taka. Waiting in queue to the source she wasn't listen to lionesses talk, but just murmuring silently. "What is wrong with them?" she asked in mind. "They complain about weather, sun, wind... No one dares to say it straight: Dhalimu. It's all because our king is mad. He sends us in the storms, risking our lives. That is all his fault, but they can't even admit it!"

"Kota, it's your turn." Urged her Akra, who was a keeper of source that day. Goldenfurred was so absorbed with her heavy thoughts, that for log while she stood motionless, blocking queue to the water. "Please, that is from king's source." She instinctively added a official formula, but this was too much for Kota.

"I want water. Not DHALIMU'S water." She gasped and ostentatiously left the queue. "Maybe I will wait until that source will be ours not just his."

"Better not, Kota." Sounded a voice from doorstep of chamber. "Until that you would suffer a very long thirst."

Raia – because she replied to goldenfurred – had just entered cave. Lioness was still hobbling, due to unhealed paw, she had sprained during return from Taka's expedition. That evening she didn't hunt nor was looking for intruders on desert, because king forbade her (as well as he forbade Niva) to tire. So she went on short walk to stretch her paws and she got back exactly to hear Kota's words. She also heard some murmurs of Golden Ones and in spite of seeming calmness, she was on the edge of fury too. Her king was being offended.

"This source will be Dhalimu's source as long as he will be the monarch." Added queen's sister.

"So... maybe it won't take too long..." replied Kota. In normal conditions she would never say so rebellious words aloud, but exhaustion, thirst and general anger muffled her fear and scruples. She didn't regretted that, even he was proud to that it, seeing amaze on Raia's face.

"What... what did you say?" yelled sandymaned.

"Dhalimu won't be our king forever." Replied Kota with fire in her eyes. "So what for we have to wait for him to destroy our pride? Sisters..." she looked on lionesses. "Wake up... We deserve for better monarch than Dhalimu!"

Raia breathed out aloud, thinking intensively. She muffled all emotions and let her cold reason work. She knew that if she would lose that argument with friend, ruler would be in danger. Quickly she understood that Kota was serious and determined. "Taka!" she thought. "Taka corrupted her. He turned her around his paw and induced to rebel. Who know... maybe she wants to take over throne of Golden Sands? But I won't let it!"

"Simmi!" she gasped quietly. "Where is the queen?"

"Still on walk."

"Immediately, go for her. NOW!"

And she steeped to water chamber and with heavy effort climbed on the ledge above source. She stood just above the water-stream, looking like she was ready to defend cave's treasure from everyone.

"This is king's source." Repeated with decisive voice, although inside she was terrified.

"Raia, stop it!" called Kota, walking among confused lionesses. "He is not here. You don't have to play your role."

"The king is a king even if he is thousand miles away."

"Listen to yourself!" interrupted goldenfurred. Meanwhile she also found a ledge on the opposite wall. She easily jumped to it and looked on the pride. "Why do you stand up for him? I hope you see that he is mad!"

"You are mad, if you question the authority of our monarch." Answered sandyfurred. "That why I'll forgive you and forget, saying nothing to the king. But no say no more word and promise that you won't..."

"Raia..." started Kota with gentle and soft voice. "Please, think a while. We all are concerned with good of the pride..."

"You are concerned with Taka! You want him to take over Golden Sand's throne!" interrupted her queen's sister. "You want the power!"

"WHAT?!" yelled goldenfurred. She sensed that every stare went on her and is carefully examining her face with silent question. Raia smiled triumphantly, but then...

"GREAT IDEA!" called Akra. "Let Taka return here and put all in order." Among pride sounded an accepting murmur. Raia instinctively extended her claws, ready to pounce on enemy. But wounded lioness wasn't sure if that enemy became the whole pride.

"King! You swore your loyalty to him! This is a betrayal!" she roared.

"No. This is a necessity." Replied Kota. "We must depose Dhalimu."

Sandyfurred raised her wounded paw. It looked like gesture of hushing her friend, an ask for attention... But extended claws and decisive expression on face added some new meaning to that.

"I can assure you about one thing. I will kill everyone, who would dare to rebel against the king."

Silence. That declaration froze whole pride, like stream of cold rain. Raia - although she had a choleric and a bit harsh character - was loved and respected among Golden Ones. She was the best huntress of team and her preys had saved pride from starvation many times. Few lionesses had owed her life – sandyfurred many times had been searching for pride-sisters lost during sandstorms. Additionally, usually Raia was restraining king's fury and she had protected her pride from numerous disasters.

"No..." whispered one of lionesses. "Don't leave us..."

"There will be no mutiny!" said Raia, sensing that her decisive reaction had effectively tempered that revolutionary flame. Part, probably majority of lionesses, turned theirs stares to the ground, ashamed by that absurd behaviour. "The pride will remain the Pride, whatever would happen. Every argument is bad, but an argument in pride... family, especially started in such hard times, is a tragedy. Queen, my sister, would told you about it much better. She has a gift of speech and you would probably hear her more gladly..." She purposely mentioned about Niva to support her cause with common fondness towards whitefurred. "But try to accept what I say. Dhalimu is our monarch and opposing him, we are opposing ourselves. The ruler is a head of pride. We must take care about your head, if we want it to guide us to safe haven in that damned drought..."

"No, Raia!" called Kota. "We heard enough of your touchy speeches. We need a change!"

Song "Ruling soul". Melody is pompous and disturbing. Choruses are choirs of lionesses.

Kota stands on the ledge next to entrance to the Water Chamber. She raises up her paw and points on Raia (who stands on the ledge above source) with reproaches.

Kota, loud, a tune of reproach:

_Don't pretend that you don't see it_

_As we suffer so oppressed_

_You're still scoffing, you're still sneering _

_Although you starve with the rest_

She lowers her paw, pointing on gathered lionesses. Some of them are nodding theirs heads with consent, some others turning theirs stares with shame. In centre stands young, beautiful lioness – Busu, who with fear is looking on both Kota and Raia, confused und undecided. Few times she moves her paw to make a step, but finally she stops, without making any decision.

_Saying about law, tradition?_

_Save us preaches - talk to king_

_Spare us details of your mission_

_Of blind love that pain your brings_

With words 'blind love' Kota covers her eyes with paw, pretends she make a step ahead and lose a balance on the edge of ledge. A capture of angry Raia. She raises her right (wounded) paw, hushing excited pride.

Raia, maybe even louder. Her voice is full of outrage and disbelief:

_So the laws seem for you severe?_

_So go leave them, but beware_

She hits the wall with wounded paw. From cut drips few drops of blood and fall to the ground.

_You will lost your pride forever_

_This is kingdom, not a fair._

She points on undecided Busu, and she cowers with shame. Voice of sandyfurred turned to be sad, gentle and almost mother-like.

_Obey king treat as an honour_

_He watches ours right ways to live_

She points on the source and carefully goes down from the ledge.

_Not a tyrant, he's a donor_

_Peace and wisdom – what he gives_

She submerges a paw in water-reservoir and gat a coconut shell, filled with liquid. She gives it to scared Busu.

Chorus – whole pride except of Raia and Kota:

_Ruling soul, ruling heart_

_If this is not a weight too hard_

_When he hugs us in embrace_

_Won't he choke us by a chance?_

Capture of cave's inside fades out and we see common memories of the pride – Dhalimu during Kiara's funeral: after leaving his mother's body on top of Golden Massif, he goes down to one of crying lionesses and hugs her with brotherly tenderness. Zoom-in on that lioness face – scene turns from day of funeral to presence inside Golden Cave. Lioness opens her eyes, shaking her head. Two tears fall from her cheeks. She breathe heavily, as if she was chocking a moment before.

_He's the leader in hard day_

_But he still could lead astray_

_Is the path he walk is clear_

_Or it is just way to kill?_

Again: a capture of choir of Golden Ones but we also see in background another memory – Dhalimu guiding a march through sandstorm.

Second verse, Kota:

_Peace? We pay it with a sweat_

_Servant's, not a lion's pride_

She jumps down to pride. She walks among lionesses, stops before Busu and gently nudges her, forcing cowed lioness to straighten herself.

_If we something get instead_

_This is madness from his mind_

She looks in Busu's eyes, but we could notice that Kota's stare looks a bit mad.

_Time to think about the riot_

_Stop to swallow every tear_

She comes to king's bedding (made few days earlier by Raia) and scatters it with few moves of paw.

_Live without a king – well, let's try it!_

_Will be worse than we've got here?_

She raises some acacia brush and crushed it in paw.

A capture of Raia. She also walks among lionesses, although she is clearly hobbling.

Raia – her voice sounds still amazed and furious:

_Bite the paw that always feeds you?_

_It's like hit own heart instead_

She falters, maybe due to emotions, maybe just because of pain in paw (or maybe she does it intentionally). One of sitting lionesses supports sandyfurred. Raia thanks with a nod, then sings further.

_We're the part of the same pride too_

_If we kill him, we are dead_

She goes farther, lionesses are following her with stares, full of regret.

_You want leave the law that keeps us_

_This the madness, can't you see?_

She gets to Kota. Friends are eyeing each other up and down. Goldenfurred doesn't step down.

'_Freedom' of a hateful chaos _

_Seems more like captivity_

Raia points with paw on scattered bedding of king and nods her head.

Chorus – all pride:

_Ruling soul, ruling heart_

_Core of life from very start_

Golden Ones comes to bedding and starts to gather a scattered acacia brush to rebuild bed for the king. Disappointed Kota steps back few steps.

_If without his helping will_

_Will we manage living still?_

_Yes, he punished us today_

_But had he some other way?_

Zoom-in on few lionesses faces. Apart from scars made by sandstorms on few muzzles we see clear signs of hitting with paw. Big, male's paw.

_How the rebel could be done_

_If the king and we are one?_

Golden Ones finished their job and disperse in silence. Music fades out, Raia follows Kota to the wall of chamber.

„You see?" she asked with whisper. "You won't make us do to this madness. And even if... I will stand for Dhalimu to my last breath. And not only me." She bended down to friend's ear. "Niva would rather die than allow on mutiny."

And then breathless Simmi entered the Water Chamber. She almost fell on doorstep, but after few heavy breathes she swallowed dry saliva and ran to the source. Pride let her pass and she started to drink greedily. A perfect silence fell in cave. Finally, after several draughts lioness raised her head and looked on Raia and Kota. On her face an expression of terror was seen.

"Queen... Niva is dead!"

\/\/\/

Taka got to Pridelands calm and cool. He put up with joy and caresses of lionesses that were greeting him. When formal welcome was complete he discrete asked brother and sister for a talk on a side. Whole three went on Priderock Plateau to speak about recent events in rays of setting sun.

„Listen... in Golden Sands something went terribly wrong." Started Taka without useless introduction. "Dhalimu is not performing duties of a king as he should to."

"So..." Dahabu urged him on. "What would we do with it?"

"He is our cousin!" said arbiter seriously. "We are responsible for him, especially if he isn't a responsible person."

"But what could we help?" asked Amali.

"I don't know." Confessed Taka. "That why I'm asking you. The Golden Pride swore loyalty to his ruler, so I doubt it would rebel against him. And I... I'm the arbiter."

"Right..." nodded Dahabu. "If you decided that you have right to question monarch's power... you would have done it already." He looked on brother with telling stare, reminding events between them. Taka smiled with bitter smile. "But I ask you hypothetically: if..."

"No." replied blackmaned. "He is stronger. Significantly. I wouldn't do it."

"Could I?" king asked quieter.

Arbiter estimated brother's powers. Dahabu was strong and healthy lion, but it was clear the Dhalimu was superior to him, at least in body-constitution. Moreover, Pridelander never fully recovered after accident with mysterious intruders. He was limping on front-left paw and scares on his side was freshly healed. Taka shook his head with sorrow.

"I don't know. That would be a great risk."

"Have you rabbies?!" yelled Amali. "Dah, you have a kingdom to protect, not wander on others lands. Taka, you have also your duties, who knows, maybe even greater. You did great job, but for now you have to keep the Alliance until that blasted drought is gone. To be near to you allies, you should stay here, on Priderock... With us."

"I should." Replied blackmaned, looking on brother. "But in the same time I can't. I'm responsible for that pride."

"Taka, listen..." interrupted him Dahabu. "I can't do too much alone. But if you make sure that all lionesses want to depose our cousin..."

"...we will call a congress of all monarchs in alliance." Finished younger of brothers. "I will call it, as an arbiter. They will decide what to do. You are genius, Dahabu."

"E..." whispered king to his sister. "In fact, I had no idea what he would tell, but at least I have stirred him up to some thought." And he added louder. "Today we will do nothing, come down. You will rest and set off when you are ready."

Three of siblings started to path down. Descending from plateau, Taka stopped few times, to look on landscape from height of rock. He hadn't been there since over a year and events of previous months turned that year almost to eternity – that why he really missed his home and like tiny cub was looking with amaze on his family keep. Suddenly he sensed with paw some scratches in the rock-wall. "What's this?" he asked in mind, but then he found a simple answer. "That is here, where once Mufasa was hanging and Taka the First pulled him on plateau, saving him. The rock remembers its history better than lions do." But he went farther, leaving a traces of the past behind. "Maybe even those aren't the same scratches... But they could be those. The point is they help us to remember."

"Memories?" asked Amali to thoughtful lion.

"Some sort." Replied blackmaned.

Sun had almost set when they went down and entered cave. They found one more guest inside – Mtanga. Rogue was lying in sleep chamber, panting heavily. Biti gave him a gourd of water.

"Mtanga!" smiled Amali. "You are already..."

"My dear..." said lion seriously. "Something very sad has happened..." he looked on the rest of pride. "Would you leave me alone with Dahabu and Taka?" Pridelandresses uncertainly turned theirs stares on king, but he nodded his head. Amali licked mate's forehead and went after lionesses. Ruler and blackmaned sat next to rogue, waiting for bad news. "Queen Niva is dead." Said finally Mtanga.

"Ho... how it could be?" yelled Taka.

"She was found on the desert, dead." Replied lion. "No one knows what had happened, but..."

"But what?!" repeated confused Dahabu.

"Lionesses are scared of king." Whispered rogue with mysterious tone.

In the cave sounded a painful roar and ear-piercing rasp. Dahabu extended his claws and dragged with them on stone-wall. Before his eyes came a vision of Anasa, dying on sand. Ruler tensed his muscles and stopped in silence for long while. Taka said then.

"No, it can't be." He disagreed. "Dhalimu is mad coxcomb, but he would never killed his mate!"

"I haven't seen it..." lied rogue. "I just repeat what Golden Ones said. We must help those poor lionesses."

"Taka..." murmured finally Dahabu. "You are an arbiter. I can't order you, so I humbly ask you..."

"I know." Blackmaned nodded his head. „I will go there one again and find out that has happened to Niva. But it isn't so easy. I'm not welcome there..."

"So go there as the brother of Prideland King. Send Dhalimu a greetings from his cousin..." said determined ruler. "And if you discover that he had something to do with that death... I will greet him in person!" roared with full might. He looked on brother and added with ashamed voice. "I'm so sorry, that I have to use your help. But I must be sure I'm doing right... and for now I must keep my pride."

"Sir, maybe I would help." Said Mtanga, barely repressing his smile. Lions looked on him with amaze. "I heard that Dhalimu is a skilled warrior. No offence, Taka, but you wouldn't stand a chance." Blackmaned nodded his head with understanding. "But he is just one. And I know many rogues like I am. Give me few weeks and I'll find lions who help you to restore an order in Golden Sands."

"Yes, great idea." Replied Dahabu. „Of course, don't attack him without permission of other monarchs. But be prepared. Taka, you have to make some reconnaissance anyway. If Dhalimu killed his mate, all Golden Ones are in danger."

"I will go as soon as I will rest."

"I'll go when I will be able to." Threw Mtanga. "I've twisted my paw during the way. But I'll do my best to gather my unit soon." And in mind he added. "And I hope you will do your best to play as I want you to. Godspeed, my actors!"

Not long after that Pridelanders and theirs guests went to uneasy sleep. Lionesses were anxious, although they didn't know why exactly. Amali, nestled in Mtanga's side, was breathing in deep slumber. Her dreams were scary, as she worried about mate and brother. But the rogue was dreaming about his power to come. Dahabu fell asleep with expression of anger on his face and claws extended, as if he was about to fight. He also was moaning and quietly growling in his uneasy sleep.

Taka was calm and relaxed. He was afraid about Kota's and Golden Ones fate and didn't know what future was about to bring. But he was ready to do everything to help them and protect them. He was calm with that particular kind of calmness that feel soldiers on the eve of bloody battle.


	10. X Something is rotten in the Golden San

X

X. Something is rotten in the Golden Sands

Death of Niva came unexpectedly, unwelcome and brutally. Golden Pride lost its all spirit – even will of mutiny ceased at once with deceased beloved Queen. Probably even the worse rage of Dhalimu couldn't muffle lionesses so effectively as news about monarchess fate. Golden Ones in next few day after that disaster were trailing around cave, carefully avoiding stare of king. That was necessary, because monarch was raging.

But not in his usual way. Before that Dhalimu's madness were seen in often fits of anger and aggression. But that time lion was stretched between complete passivity and ill excitement. Lionesses who met him just after Niva's death saw as he in just one moment turn from tender care to cold disrespect towards subjects. It might seemed to be harmless, but somehow was even more scary than earlier violence and curses. Additionally king grew indifferent to basic needs of the pride. After funeral ceremony, when he left monarchesses body on massif's plateau, he returned to cave and fell in strange inertia.

"My lord..." whispered Raia shyly. "We must go hunt."

"You must..." murmured Dhalimu, don't moving an inch.

"But king... You have to decree it. Order it."

„I order you." Replied lion, even without turning his stare on loyal subject. But after a longer while, when he noticed that sandyfurred was still there, he raised his head and asked. "You are going too?" he looked on her unhealed cut on paw.

"I will do as you instruct, my lord."

"So you will stay." Said ruler. "You and Kota. Send her to me and send hunting-team to do its job... Oh, and then, don't interrupt us."

"I won't, my lord." Raia bowed her head and hobbled to rest of the pride.

Akra became a team leader. Although young lioness preferred to be under charge of more experienced Raia or her friend Kota, seeing serious expression of both lionesses she didn't object. So she quickly gathered Golden Ones and set off on desert. Meanwhile Raia looked on her fried and said with decisive voice.

"King wants to speak with you. You have to remember, what has happened... Do not mention about Niva, unless he does it. Understand?"

"Raia, but what if that he is who..."

"Silence!" interrupted her sandyfurred. "If you finish that sentence, I will kill you, believe me! How dare you to suggest something like that?!"

"I... I hope, that when you become the queen, you will help him." Said Kota with gentle voice. "I believe that your love will change him"

"Go now." Gasped Raia, although goldenfurred noticed as her suggestion brightened up her friend's face. Not to show her emotions, queen's sister turned her stare to the ground.

Kota uncertainly entered king's chamber. She never liked to be there (except of old times, when in that room was living calm and kind lord Kovu) and that time she admitted that she is afraid. Dhalimu was unpredictable.

"Good day, sir." She bowed her head low. "You called for me." Dhalimu was lying on royal bedding, slothfully raising his stare on newcomer. He said with surprisingly gentle voice.

"No. I asked you to come. Go ahead, sit down."

He pointed with paw on the second bedding, that once had belonged to Niva. Lioness gulped nervously, vaguely sensing that merry mood of king was a sing of great troubles, but she obediently laid down. However – carefully, turned to exit, as if she was ready to instant escape. Monarch closed his eyes and started to talk.

"Niva is gone... That is a great loss for whole pride and even greater for me... But we have the time of drought so we don't cry, for not to waste our tears. We must live on and just keep a grateful memory after our dear dead ones." Kota narrowed her eyes, imagining in that moment wind was tearing queen's body apart and is spreading it over desert. She shivered and thought about Taka. "Why aren't you here?!" she yelled in mind. "And that why I made an ultimate decision." Was talking Dhalimu. "Kota, I know that between us grew a conflict with many hostility and distrust... No, don't interrupt me, I know what the things are." Muffled her objection. "No, you know nothing, Dhalimu." Thought goldenfurred. "If you were courageous enough to open you eyes, you would see all errors you've done. Only then you would became a good ruler." But king was continuing. "I wish to finish that. Death of Niva taught me that pride cannot be ruled in constant anxiety and anger. We must bury our regrets and reproaches to serve better for Golden Sands. We, me and you. We will conclude an alliance, to don't let any shadow shade the sun above our kingdom." Ruler stood up and went to lying Kota. She also wanted to stand, but he stopped her with powerful pressure. "I have already forgot how strong he is!" though goldenfurred, shrinking because of fear. "When full moon is gone, the bereavement after Niva will gone too. Then you will became the queen of Golden Sands."

"..." yelled Kota.

Shock paralysed her lips and hit her head like a heavy stick. Suddenly some terrifying thoughts came to her mind. Strong voice inside called to her there and then to object ruler's will, but others whispers showed futility of that step. "King will get everything he wants." She thought in despair. "Taka! That can't end like this. My love, return to me and save me... save us all!" And then before Kota's eyes appeared vision of Raia. Sad lioness was looking in friend's eyes and was whispering. "You will do it for the pride. Don't fail us... Don't fail your king." "So I can fail you, Raia?" silently yelled goldenfurred. "If I become his mate, you will hate me!" She shook her head to dispel that vision.

"I know that might be a bit surprising to you, but I'm sure of my decision." Was talking Dhalimu. "The marriage is not just a bond between male and female. In our case it will be a stronger and firmer alliance between king and pride. Because you are that what I wasn't able to get before. Something that was sneaking away from my power. A defiance and uneasiness of Golden Ones. Formerly I tied to eradicate such acting but now I know I should tame it. To tame you all as you are. Your relationship will help me with it."

"But my lord..." yelled lioness. "I'm not worthy, to..." those words she barely spat out from her mouth, but she was ready to say anything to avoid that marriage.

"I decide who is worthy and who is not." Replied shortly Dhalimu. "I recognise you as the best candidate for being my mate, so that case is over."

"But Raia is Niva's sister and she..."

"I WANT YOU!" shouted monarch. So loud that Raia, waiting in next chamber, had to listen that.

"Taka!" thought terrified Kota. "Do something, because I have no choice. If I refuse him, my pride will pay for that. You must stop Dhalimu."

"Well... won't you express your gratitude?" asked lion with a tone of authentic amazement.

"I... can't, sir!" stammered goldenfurred out and pushed by strange impulse, she ran off the royal chamber.

She ran out from cave and after a while she sopped on the edge of desert in Acacia Alley. The light of day almost blinded her, until her eyes used to brightness. Just after that she noticed that Raia was waiting there and looking on her with clearly expectant stare.

"I haven't eavesdropped, but I know what you were talking about." She said.

"I don't want it. Raia, I swear I don't want it!" sobbed Kota.

"Silence! He might hear us." Replied sandyfurred coldly. "Come with me."

She set off in rock's direction, but not to cave but to path up, on top of massif. Without a word she started to climb. In spite of wounded paw she made the way quickly and firmly. She even had to wait for Kota some time. When both lionesses were on top, sandyfurred pointed a ceremonial boulder where the Niva's body was lying. Friends went closer to earthly remnants of queen.

"The Circle of Life have to go on." Said Raia. In her voice a sadness, but also a determination and tender devotion to ruler sounded. "That is why after my sister's death some other lioness should take her place on side of king. If Dhalimu decided that you are the best mate for him, that means... you are the best mate for him. That's actually all I wanted to say."

"I can't... I love Taka." Yelled Kota. And seeing clenching paw of Raia she added. "You should become his mate. You have deserved it countless times. And I would be so glad of that... Raia, tell him, what you feel... and explain what is happening with me. We can't let his folly make us both unhappy..."

Sandymaned impulsively swung her paw. A blow stopped just few centimetres from Kota's face and Raia closed her eyes and lowered her fist. For a while she remained motionless in silence and from her eyelids two tears fell. Finally she said, not looking on Kota.

"Please, don't speak with me about that. And maybe... try not to speak with me from now on. I have no right to irritate the future queen." Then she went to the path down.

\/\/\/

Taka was running through desert, ignoring exhaustion and thirst. He was so hurrying that he used to prevail calls of body. It was just like it had been few months earlier, running on exile. But that time he was no more a novice at first long desert journey – during those months he had become skilled wanderer and even his desperate run was faster and safer that previous one. To Dry Oasis he got after three days of journey, on early evening. Kauli seemed to expect him, because Taka found the well already uncovered, ready to drink from it.

"I'm glad too I'm sssseeing you." Greeted him python, looking on lion bended down to source. "Come, drink with me." Invited with irony, although wandered was already drinking since a longer while. "And calm down. I hear your breathing and sense you are going to do ssssomething stupid."

"Yhmm!" panted lion, what sounded like a kind of confirmation.

"Look." Said former chamberlain. "You came here without hessssitation, but without knowing what to do. You want to challenge Dhalimu?"

"How Niva died?" asked Taka with excited voice. "Who killed her?"

"If you assssk 'who killed' I guess you already know the answer. Your ansssswer." Noticed snake. „But I won't assent to you. Dhalimu didn't kill his mate."

"Are you sure?" asked surprised lion.

"I believe he is innocent." Said reptile. "I know that king issss unable to do such a thing."

Taka laid on sand and for few minutes remained motionless, calming down his breathing and thoughts. Finally he whispered with resigned.

"If he didn't killed her, I will do nothing." Python looked on him with clear sympathy and care. It was quite obvious that wandered was far from normal state of mind. "Kauli... I promised... I did bad and stupid, but I promised under the Stars that I will never raise my paw against monarch in Lions Lands. So what I have to do?"

"Think!" replied snake. "That issss not Dhalimu who killed Niva. Maybe it'sssss not what you wanted to hear, but I supposssse that was a tragic accident. We have hard timessss, such things happen often." Python crawled to his guest and took his favourite place on neck of lion. There was no malice in that, but a intention to comfort Taka even by touch. "I heard about you are doing in other landssss. That issss a great thing and it would be stupid to rissssk all your quest for own profit. Underssssstand that Kota loves you... alssso because of that you are able to renounce own good. You two are ssssso alike – she serves with all her might to her pride, you – to try to help all pridesssss you encounter."

"Dhalimu shouldn't be king." Whispered Taka.

"And drought should not be here. But both the drought and Dhalimu are partssss of the Circle of Life. With it you alsssso want to fight? Maybe it musssst be this way? The Circle needssss you as an arbiter not you as Kota's mate."

"So I came here in vain?" whispered Taka.

"I don't not that." Replied snake. "But now resssst and tomorrow you will go to Golden Sands." Tired lion welcomed that advice gladly. He laid next to the well and quickly fell asleep, making up the sleepless nights of his journey.

\/\/\/

Rogues were hunting with more and more effort. Big herd of addaxes, that had been living on green island of grass, west from Golden Sands, was eaten or driven off to better lands. Three of mature lions required a lot of meat and barely was managing to live on remnants of Golden Sands resources. The noticed that and talked about it with anxiety.

"It takes too long." Judged Udole. "Mtanga went away over week ago and we are feasting on herds of that poor lionesses. We want to help them, not cause them starve!"

"We must wait for boss." Disagreed Baridi. "He knows the plan. We must stand it... we all, Golden Ones too. By getting rig off the tyrant we will make up them for it with interest."

"Wait, wait, wait..." murmured angrily the youngest of rogues. "We were waiting and what happened? Dhalimu killed one of his lionesses. I wish to do it quick, before some other disaster would come."

"But we won't help it today. It's time to sleep, gentlemen." Yawned Hofu. They all started to marching in they hiding's direction in rock pan on south of Golden Sands. They were impatient but still obedient to plan of theirs leader.

Meanwhile, a few miles north a hunting was taking place. Akra was leading hunting-team for almost eight hours, but still with no result. Lionesses were tired and thirsted, but lack of any pray forced them to still and constant march. Team-leader decided that it was better stay a night outside that risk a hunting on next day hot morning.

"Let's go... a little longer, girls." She panted to pride-sisters. "I'm sure that something is living on that blasted desert!"

She recalled all knowledge that Raia and Kota taught her and what lionesses had taught from Taka. "Taka said us about so many things... I have no idea, how so young lion could know that, but it works... at least for now."

She ordered to spread a tight rank to loose formation, apparently without any order. Actually (or at least – team leader hoped so) they created a 'horse-shoe-formation', two kilometres wide. In opposite to normal set that was undulating to prevent potential prey to see more than few lionesses and mislead it about the number of team. One for several minutes lionesses on the edges of formation were climbing on nearest dune and looking for antelopes. Akra was in the centre, ready to make a quick decisions.

Suddenly Baka, running on north edge, reported with roar about three addaxes. With heavy heart Akra ordered four lionesses on her left to go ahead and she turned to eventual prey. She couldn't afford of tiring whole pride. If she, Baka, Simmi, Kingazi and Afu failed, the rest of pride had to find some food.

"Save the energy. We have just one try." Murmured Akra, catching Kingazi.

Baka and Simmi were already beating up the antelopes by running in arch to team-leader and her assistant. Those two are lying on edge of dune, low on sand, waiting for animals to enter range of sure chase. Minutes were going like hours – they clearly saw a chase of battue, barely running on loose sand, but they couldn't help them. Although they knew well the wisdom of mothers and grandmothers, paradoxically just Taka explained them how well designed was a traditional tactic. "You must think as your prey thinks." Said arbiter. "It gets tired too and you must know when and how. Don't waste your strength but wait for it to waste its." So Akra started not before she hard clearly a heavy panting of escaping animals.

"Attack!" she cried.

Three lionesses, who had been hiding before, jumped from sandy-hidings and started to run down from dune slope. With antelopes they met in half a distance when exhausted creatures tried to lost their tail on roughness. Kinzagi and Afu got theirs preys but antelope destined for Akra shunned her claws in last second and started to run downhill. Neither Simmi nor Baka wasn't able to chase it longer. Irritated by own clumsiness team-leader stopped useless run and helped Afu to finish the stronger of addaxes.

"Two... that two more than none." Panted Simmi, tired but happy.

"You..." Akra pointed on battue. "Drink the blood as first. Let eat here as many as we could, so we have less to transport..." and added quieter. "I hope that second division got its share..."

\/\/\/

Mtanga was lying by Amali's side, trying to fall asleep. But it was hard – cut paw was actually aching but also more pleasant cause kept him awake. Since few days he was waiting for proper time to go and he decided to set off on nearest morning. Whatever was about to happen in Golden Sands, it was about to happen before he reach that land. He smiled to own thoughts.

He was close to fulfil his dreams as never before. One year earlier he even hadn't dreamed about reaching so high and that night in Priderock cave he was considering coming triumph as something natural and what belonged to him. As a son of lioness from pride and rogue he was destined to be just a wandered as his father. He spent cubhood in run, because when his king got known that his subject mated without his permission, he killed her mate and exiled her and newborn Mtanga. So quickly young lion learned that in that cruel world he could count only for himself, own wit and claws. For four years he was wandering among Lions Lands without a purpose, counting on a miracle. And that miracle happened – it was Amali who looked on him with real understanding, with a sympathy but without a pity. And with love. Thanks to that Mtanga gained a place on Tanabi's court. But who once try a taste of social promotion, doesn't stop before he reaches the peak. Rogue didn't want to outlive his days on father-in-law's, then on brother-in-law's mercy. Also he didn't want to risk a establishing a new pride what was hard and dangerous, especially in those hard and dangerous times. He decided to climb on the top by other's backs.

"I, a rogue and orphan and outcast from won pride. I'm the mate of princess and I will be the king. From the shame to the fame... I'm rather a modest person, but I must admit that only genius could do that alone."

\/\/\/

It was after a midnight and with full moon started to slowly descending from sky. Around sleeping Taka gathered a small group of unseen silhouettes. Ancient Ones were looking on descendant with anxiety but also with great expectations. Then Zira said.

"Well my dears, we have to make an ultimate decision."

"I want that, mom." Replied Vitani.

"I trust in Vitani's instinct." Said Tanabi.

"Me too." Decided Amini.

"I'm in." added Sparthi. "Do it, sis. Our home might fall because of further reign of Dhalimu."

"I know..." nodded Golden Queen. "But it not so simple. Dhalimu is Kovu's son... I risk lives of two of my grandsons."

"None of them should die." Noticed Amini. "There is a risk but I trust in Taka."

"So why didn't you tell Kovu about that?" asked Zira gloomily. "No, that is dangerous. I just don't know if we can interfere in living's world. Scar wouldn't allowed on that..."

"If he knew." Finished Sparthi. "But he doesn't. And I believe he will be proud of your decision, when it all will be over."

Meanwhile Vitani and Tanabi bended down to sleeping son. Prideland king was looking on blackmaned without a word and queen laid down next to him on sand. Seeing a questioning stare of Zira, she said.

"Just for a while... I'm so worried about him. I wish to recall as it was once... In times of rain." Then she started to sing quietly a cubbish lullaby of Golden Ones. "_Just before sun rises up / Get your paws under the stone / Drink a tasty fresh dew's cup / Until sun would make it gone_."

Taka smiled, hearing that and hugging immaterial neck of mother. Ancient Ones disappeared instantly, fearing that arbiter sensed their presence. But he was just dreaming a sweet dreams about cubhood. "Then life was so easy..." he thought with dreamy thoughts. "I had home, that I didn't have to fight for... I had family with who I didn't have to fight with... And now... Kota, I have only you, but so far that I have no right to reach for you. Oh, Dhalimu... If I only didn't swear!"


	11. XI The time of Heroes

XI

XI. The time of Heroes

„Kauli, I'm going." Announced Taka in the morning. Python lazily opened his eyes and lowered his head from acacia to hang over blackmaned.

"I know... I didn't sssssleep... just resting." Explained, as if that was a shame. "Good luck, boy. I believe you will sssstand it like a male."

"Thank Kauli, for all." Replied arbiter. "I'm not sure if we would see again..." Seeing anxiety in snake's eyes, added. "No. As I said, I won't challenge Dhalimu. But I could be rid off for good from Golden Sands."

Python crawled down on back of lion and took his place on blackmaned's neck. He gently clasped it, what was a kind of snake's farewell. When Kauli went down on sand, Taka without a word climbed up on valley's slope and set off in Golden Sands direction.

"Take care of him." Hissed former chamberlain. He pointed his head on desert, but in mind he recalled Sparthi and Zira. "You were always sssspecialists in hopelesssss cases. He needsss your help."

The morning was calm – even the slightest blow of wind wasn't disturbing its silence. "But such an inertia is the worst." Thought arbiter. "Sandstorms are coming after a silence. I sense that something is in the air... something dreadful. A change." "Yes. A change for bad." Whispered a malicious voice in lion's head. "Don't fool yourself – you are going only to bid farewell to Kota." He speeded up to outrun dismal thoughts.

To the Golden Cave he came before midday. He was greeted by silence so he stopped uncertain on the Acacia Alley, waiting for any move inside. Finally he roared quietly, however being careful no to sound as a claimant. But not Dhalimu went out to greet the guest. From cave came Raia.

"Taka..." she murmured quietly. "I hope you have some serious reasons to be here."

"May I enter the cave? King will decide if I'm worthy to be your guest."

"Good..." decided lioness. "But first promise me, that you won't violate the laws of guests." Taka with some doubts bowed his head, accepting that obligation.

"Don't be afraid, Raia." Said, coming to sandyfurred. "I know what I'm allowed to... and I know what is the best for those whom I love." Then he noticed that lioness fur on face is wet due to tears. "What has happened that she gave own water out?" thought instinctively. "Raia... what is going on?"

"Go!" she hurried him with breaking voice. When he was passing her, she added quietly. "When you get know, you will cry as well."

Taka entered the main chamber to see pride and king still sleeping. Lionesses seemed to be half-dead – wandered saw a numerous cuts on paws and muscles swollen after heavy effort. "They are hunting for that idler!" thought Taka angrily, turning to Dhalimu. Ruler was sleeping calmly with airy smile on face. But he opened his eyes as first, alarmed with loud breathing of newcomer.

"What, the rabies, are you doing here?!" he greeted him warmly.

"I'm coming from my brother." Announced Taka, putting in that as many conviction as he could. Dhalimu was eyeing him up and down for several seconds then growled.

"Get up, you lazybones! We have a guest!"

Lionesses instantly stood up, although most of them with heavy effort. Wandered gasped seeing tired muzzles of females, in desperate try to immoderately fulfil that order. Kota noticed him at once. An expression of disbelief but also of cubbish joy burst on her face. But a second later she turned her stare to the ground not to betray her emotions to the king.

"No, sir. Let them sleep..." whispered Taka to Dhalimu's ear.

"No, let them greet my guest and messenger." Replied ruler. "If Dahabu sent you, you are representing him and you have to be treated with honour. I won't let my lionesses lay in presence of royal envoy."

"Sir Taka!" exclaimed sleepy, but delighted Baka. "What a surprise!"

And in one moment the cave got back to live. Lion was amazed that tired lionesses saved so many joy and serenity. And what was even more amazing – his presence was greeted as a holiday. "They count that would change something... They are so wrong..." thought dismally.

"Sir..." finally whispered Kota, looking on king. "Can we water our guest?" ruler just waved his paw indifferently so lioness stoop up and said. "Follow me, sir."

They exited the main chamber and went to the source. When pair disappeared from monarch's sight behind a corner, Kota almost pounced on Taka, hugging with paws and licking tenderly. Lion with pleasure surrender to those caresses, but after a while froze.

"He will see us." Whispered.

"Taka... I can't stand any longer. Said lioness. "I was so scared when you went away... But right, we'll have our time later. Now you have to drink."

Few minutes later when Kota and Taka returned to main chamber, a meal was waiting for the guest. King himself, according to the old custom, was rationing out the portions of meat. Arbiter noticed with shock stares of lionesses. Golden Ones were looking on addax with clear hunger in eyes. But there was no regret on theirs faces but a silent consent. The guest had his rights. "I'm eating theirs last preys and they are glad of that!" he thought, enraged. "And Dhalimu will probably send them on hunting today." But he ate whole prepared portion. He could offend the host.

"Right. So what brings you here?" asked brownmaned.

"I send the greetings from the Priderock. From king Dahabu." Replied arbiter. "And I wish, on behalf of my brother to condole your pride after death of your queen." Lionesses instinctively bowed theirs heads and merry murmur fell silent.

Raia shivered. Words of blackmaned awoke in her some vague premonition. "How it could be? How he got know about Niva's death? No one sent that message to Pridelands... no one sent that message... anywhere!" She looked carefully on faces of pride but no one other felt anxious about that. "Well, maybe it isn't so important... But I would feel better if I knew how he knew about queen's death." Even in mind she still wasn't ready to name Niva her sister. The burden of old envy was too heavy. "Maybe... but no! that is impossible. Taka wouldn't killed her. For what? For Kota to became a queen? Or... who knows, what he thought? Maybe he expected that I would become a queen and I beg king to allow for relationship between Kota and Taka? Oh, Stars! I hope that I'm wrong. But if I'm right, Taka is merciless rascal!" Instinctively she extender her paws and moved closer to monarch, ready to defend him any time.

"Moreover, I'm not just an arbiter but also a historian of Lions Lands." Taka continued. "I thought you wish to hear some tales that I had got known during my journeys."

"My lord?" asked Baka with hope in her voice.

"Good idea." Agreed Dhalimu. „Go Taka, tell us something interesting and we will rest before hunting."

Arbiter breached in and recalled from memory all tales of his ancestors and thought. "Yes, your highness... I will tell you how was the fate of rulers who didn't know how to rule. If I can't hit you with paw, I'll try to do it at least with song."

"Probably all of you already heard the tale of Scar and Zira. That is a long story, long because it overgrown with myths and distortions. I'm a descendant of both lines of family – both of Simba and Scar. That why I'll try to show you the drama of the Great Drought as objectively as I could. Listen!"

And he started the tale. He told them about lives of his grandparents and great-grandparents, reign of Taka the First and return of Simba. He told them everything he knew about tragic events that had ended the War of Prides. Because Golden Ones demanded more, he said about fight between Zira and Pridelanders.

"And she was ready to do it." Finished Taka, looking on his auditory.

Lioness were lying still, inside the Golden Cave, some with closed eyes, but none of them was sleeping. His story, as well as earlier story about Scar, enchanted lioness of Golden Pride with strong spell. It wasn't merit of his storytelling skill, rather a power of this tale itself. No one remained indifferent to this story, especially there.

Taka the Second, called that after his famous grandfather, also known as Scar, was younger brother of king Dahabu and princess Amali. He was moderate built male with sandy fur and black mane, probably heritage of grandfather. Something unusual in his appearance was short but sandy-red beard, making him unlike to any other Pridelander or even Golden One. Probably this beard made him look seriously on his young age, what made him perfect bard and arbiter of prides. Since he had started his duty of communicating and building cooperation between prides, he was also a storyteller and some kind of historian of both Pridelanders and Golden Ones. In hard times of the Second Drought, aside diplomatic role he played, a tales he was telling to lions were sustaining their spirits. Even Dhalimu understood this, that why he had allowed him to speak with Golden Pride.

"Oh..." whispered Kota, beautiful lioness with shining gold fur and green eyes. "I've never seen queen Zira in that perspective..."

"Stop that!" interrupted king Dhalimu. Giant, brownmaned lion stood and entered circle of lionesses. "These are just fancy stories... a fairytales..."

"This is history about your grandmother." Said Taka with firm voice. "And my grandmother, queen Zira. Remember it, sir."

King looked like was about to hit younger and weaker male but after a while he just burst in laughter.

"Ha! My cousin spoke well!" he called. "Praise Zira, my grandmother and mother of my father, Kovu! Long live the glory of our family line..." he came closer to prince of Pridelands and whispered him to ear. "But don't you dare tell again about regicide, Scar, Zira and such a stuff... because I don't want to kill you."

"I'm not the only one, who knows this tale. You will hear it anyway... cousin!" finished with cold whisper. Monarch laughed.

"Good... I like you, Taka. What a shame that you are just second in line... What a shame that Dahabu kicked you out from the pride... But, we can't help it... regicide is a terrible crime, don't you think?"

"My brother hasn't banished me!" replied Taka. "I took this service according to my will."

"Service of royal messenger?" asked Dhalimu with irony. "And teller of fairytales? Well, it's good to have an aim in life."

"I must go, cousin." Gasped Taka and bowed before king, but without any respect. He added louder. "My brother is waiting for news from Golden Sands."

"Tell him, we are fine." Ordered king.

"I'll tell him, what I saw." Replied Taka. King smiled, covering anger inside.

"All right, you deserved for meal you have eaten and water you have drunk. I like fairy tales. Now, go on your 'mission'."

"Right, sir." Gasped wandered, went out from royal and turned into desert. He started to march with slow steps, saving energy for desert crossing.

"We will go on hunting in one hour." Ordered Dhalimu to lionesses. "You can rest until that."

In times of drought, only night were allowing on hunts. Life was hard, both on Pridelands, Golden Sands and others kingdoms, that were in alliance with them, thanks to journeys of Taka. But on land of Golden Family, life was hard especially. Reign of king Dhalimu was difficult for all subject and guests of pride as well.

\/\/\/

Kota overtook him right behind border of Keep's Grass. He heard her running, stopped and waited until lioness came there. Before she touched him, he said with uncertain voice.

"He could be observing us..."

"He could." Replied lioness and hugged Taka tight. "But I don't care about it. I'm sick of this fear." She licked him in cheek and added. "And I hoped, that someday, you will feel it too..."

Taka sighed and turned to beloved. He looked in her green eyes and said with weary and painful voice.

"We were talking about that hundreds of times. I can't do anything!" she turn her stare into the ground and replied with sad voice.

"He want me to be his mate. Bereavement after Niva will end in week."

"So, you will become a queen..." said Taka, faking admire. In fact, he was burning inside from despair.

"I will be a tyrant's toy!" sobbed Kota. "Don't you see?! We even don't know, what happened to Niva, but I'm sure, that brute had been beating her from start. And if you..."

Taka sighed again and interrupted lioness.

"I can assure you asylum on Priderock. I'm not well with my brother, but he will accept you, if I ask him..."

"No!" exclaimed Kota. "Whole pride is suffering! We are suffering from drought, but this isn't even half the pain, we are suffering from that tyrant..."

"He is the rightful king!" called lion, but without any conviction. "He is son of my uncle Kovu and aunt Kiara. What should I do? Depose him?!" he was looking in beautiful eyes of lioness, that moment filled with tears. "He is my cousin! I can't turn against my family! I can only tell it my brother..."

"...who thinks exactly like you." Finished Kota. "And nothing will change.

"Kota..." whispered Taka and hugged lioness. "I love you and would do anything I can, to be with you and see you safe... But only what I can do. Don't require from me breaking the laws. This is not about us... this is more important than any single lion's fate. This is the Circle of Life! We can't fight it..."

"You grandfather could." Replied Kota. "And grandmother... You are telling me those beautiful stories about them, but I feel that they aren't real."

"They are real..." disagreed Taka, but Kota was talking still.

"And if... so what? So what, if we haven't today anyone like Zira, Scar, Hawaa, Tanabi or Amini? So those are just legends about something, that once was, but will never return..."

"You want me to kill him?" asked Taka. "I'm weaker, I have minimal chances to win, but I can try. I don't fear of death, you know. I can challenge Dhalimu, but even if I win, I couldn't take his place. I can't..."

Kota interrupted his speech with kiss, then she answered with breaking voice.

"I know and I love you because of that too. You are so honourable and obedient to law. I love we because of thing... that will never allow us to be together." She looked on the ground. "You have right... Go now, before Dhalimu sees you. When you will back?"

"I try be in next month. If I have no reason, I'll surely find some pretext."

"I'll try to find some too. Give some sign to Akra or Simmi and I'll find you in Dry Oasis. But I can't guaranty it... Then I will be already..."

"Goodbye, Kota." Interrupted Taka. He wasn't able to hear it anymore. He licked his beloved and turned on south-east. He started to run as fast as he could, doesn't matter to save any strength. In fact, he wouldn't be upset, if he would died on desert. Finally.

\/\/\/

And the end seemed to be near. After less than hour, just before sunset, first signs of sandstorm showed. Taka knew that he was too far from Golden Sands to get back and there was no other shelter in sight. So he just laid down on hot sand and waited.

"Strange wind." He thought. "It's coming really fast... I have never seen such sudden sandstorm. I saw no signs today... well, I failed that. I just wonder, if it just wound me, or rip my flesh apart from bones. I guess, my career as prides arbiter soon will be over... O, Kota... It's good you will have nothing to do with such a loser like me." And he understood that all his life was just a escape from life itself. He was younger brother of the king and he allowed to be exiled, or even he exiled himself. He was doing job necessary for prides, but not because he wanted to, but because... he had nothing better to do. "Arbiter!" thought. "Who will be remember me, after I will be squashed by the sandstorm? They will find another arbiter and another historian. I won't be remembered even as secondary character in this tale. Kota, you have right..."

And first blow of wind hit laying lion. He whispered in mind call for Vitani and Tanabi, his parents, to greet him in skyword, but just in case, he also called to Sparthi, patron of desert wanderers. There was small chance he would survive. Very small, but lion wasn't killed with first blow, so maybe...

"Huh? What?" whispered, still cuddling face in sand. Wind stopped.

Taka carefully raised his face and opened his eyes. When he noticed cloud of sand before him, he knew that his eyes would be painfully rip out by charge of dirt and soon or later whole his body would be crushed by power of element. But it didn't happened.

"What, on Stars!?" muttered lion, seeing, that golden cloud in front of him was floating in the air... in place, just mixing inside. Suddenly, he saw some silhouette in centre of sandy cumulus, lioness's silhouette. It said with little ironical, but still friendly voice.

"Well, well, well... you are Taka, son of Vitani and Tanabi!" shade came closer to him, and all cloud moved too, that lion found himself in. Sand was hitting his fur, but in strange, gentle way, doing no harm. He even opened eyes, that he closed earlier. Nothing happened. "You have always been my favourite... mostly because of name!"

"Zira..." whispered Taka with amaze. "Grandmother Zira!" he bowed with respect. "Welcome here, ma'am. Am I dead?" asked with doubt. But he felt alive as never. Not, that was not this. "What brought you here, so low under the sky?"

"Your stupidity." Replied queen and came closer to grandson. Her body turned from sandy shadow to almost material flesh. "Look at yourself! You would be fine lion... if you only wanted to!" she touched his shoulder. "Why have you refused Kota? You would be now king..."

"...of the Past." Finished lion and lioness's ghost burst in laughter.

"Good! That was great!" said with playful voice. "Someday, you will meet Tarki and... oh, never mind... Yes, I know, you are weaker. I know, you would probably die in challenge... But I see no fear in your eyes. Someone, who wanders through the desert, just to maintain liaison between prides and make them cooperate to resist the drought... is probably mad or ready to die at any time. Or both, what I see in you eyes. Why don't you want to challenge Dhalimu?"

"He is my cousin." Replied Taka. "And rightful king. I have no right..."

"...to defend lioness, you love?" finished Zira. "Don't you think that are quite poor laws?"

"This is the Circle of Life." Said lion. "My duty is to guard it."

"Well done..." Zira clapped her paws. "But I think, that should be opposite: it has to guard you. And you think the same, but you are afraid to admit it. You are the same as your grandfather was!"

"I would break the laws..."

"Dhalimu is breaking the laws! He is a tyrant! He doesn't care about his subjects. You have right to dispose him... as a descendant of the royal line. Golden Ones can't do this, because killing own monarch is a terrible crime. But you can, you are not his subject. You won't break any oath and you will be worthy to assume the throne."

"I'm too weak to win with Dhalimu." Said Taka quietly.

"And Scar was too weak to win with Mufasa! He was too weak to survive drought and save his prides. Also, he was too weak to conquer the throne for Vitani. But he did it all! You know that, because you are telling about it so often..." she came even closer and whispered him to ear. "I tell you a secret: weakness is just a state of mind."

"Would you help me then?" asked unconvinced lion.

"I already have, Taka..." replied she, slowly disappearing into the air. "I already have."

After minute of gentle wind, all sand from cloud felt on the ground. Taka noticed, that there was just calm, silent night... He took a look around and burst in laughter.

So, after he had told his tales so many times, he discovered that he understood nothing from them. He was singing about heroes of the past, but with no slightest thought that such personalities could be needed in future. So, what far he was telling it? To amuse Kota? That Kota, who he just had left with tyrant, to her dreadful fate? He clutched paw into fist and hit on the ground. Golden Queen was right: weakness is just a state of mind. Fortunately, there wasn't to late to change his mind. Such a thing is never easy, but always possible.

Taka had something to do. He turned back and started in Golden Sand's direction.


	12. XII Pro fide, lege et leone

XII

XII. Pro fide, lege et leone

"Right! Enough of this laziness." Growled Dhalimu. "It's time to hunt."

Golden Ones obediently stood up and started to cave's exit. Raia went with them, although she was still hobbling. Kota wanted to stop her, but she just waved her paw and speeded up her steps. So the team in full number of ten lionesses left the Golden Cave.

Sun already set, but sky on west was still enlighten by red glow of fading day. Evening was warm, although not hot – night was about to be pleasantly cool but also windy. Light blow from the east was gently caressing lionesses muzzles, but it also was a sign of coming storm. The perfect harmony of landscape was disrupted only by one thing. On Acacia Alley was waiting the blackmaned lion.

"I do not ask you for hospitality." He said, seeing Raia. "That time I came here not as a messenger. I'm here as the prince of Prideland and descendant of Golden Pride. I'm going to fight with your king, according to the Law of Challenge."

Team froze in place and all lionesses turned theirs stares in Taka's face. Lion had changed. Maybe it was an earlier change, but it was seen clearly in that moment. Golden Ones saw the arbiter in new light. He was standing firmly, watching with decisive stare the entrance to the cave. Although he was significantly shorter and weaker than Dhalimu, he seemed to feel no fear. Some unknown glow of self-confidence was sparking from him. Even his soft voice gained some new, harsher tone. Wind was blowing in his black mane. "The king!" thought Kota with pride but also with fear. "This is the real king of Golden Sands. Stars... but he won't win with Dhalimu!"

Raia broke the spell as the first. She steeped before the rank of lionesses and stood in front of male. She extended her claws and took a defensive position. Careful observer could notice that she was shivering, although she tried to hide this. But when she spoke, in her voice was no hesitation.

"Make one step more and I'll kill you." She gasped. "I won't allow you to question power of our king. Go away, before Dhalimu hear you."

"Let him hear." Replied arbiter and roared. Lionesses stopped in horror, knowing that the confrontation was already foregone. "Raia, please, don't interfere."

"YOU don't interfere in matters of our pride!" she said with bitter tone. Meanwhile Kota went to her beloved and whispered to him.

"Taka... wait... reconsider this. I'm sorry... I didn't mean this. I want you to get some help, not you to solve it yourself. Understand... he will kill you!"

"I will fight with him according to the Law of Challenge." Replied lion with voice totally washed out of emotions. In fact he was terrified as well as his love. Of course, not about himself, but about her. "I hope she wouldn't do something stupid when... I mean: if I lose."

"Kota, help me!" ordered Raia. "Golden Ones, help me, all of you. We have to rid off that intruder." And quieter she added. "Taka, I beg you, go away..." None of lionesses moved even an inch, in spite of hastening gesture that sandyfurred made with her tail. "Sir, don't make what I don't want to!"

"Raia, that is nothing personal." Replied blackmaned. "But I must depose Dhalimu. Forgive me, I have no choice."

"NO!" cried Raia and Kota.

And sandyfurred pounced. Taka was so surprised that he made no dodge. He received a fast charge of lioness without any preparation and just when claws of attacker plunged deep in his neck, he shook his head. Raia missed Taka's aortas by few centimetres. She wanted to mend that unsuccessful strike, but lion threw away her paws. He jumped back two meters and took a defensive pose. Lioness didn't wait, but jumped after him. But that time arbiter intercepted her easily in flight and pushed right. But a second later he felt a wave of pain, enflaming his back. That Raia hit with her rear paws. "Stars!" yelled shocked Taka. "What a technique! This is a real fighter!" But in that moment Kota pounced on landing sandyfurred.

"Leave him alone!" she called.

"Save your king, my friend!" gasped Raia and pushed Kota away with strong move. Then she crouched to prepare next charge, when...

"Enough!" growled Dhalimu. Lion ran out from cave and stopped in front of pride. He looked with dreadful stare on fighting ones and repeated. "Enough! Raia that is not your business!"

"My lord!" called sandymaned but she stayed in place.

"Dhalimu, we will deal it on our own." Gasped Taka.

"My lord, let me kill him for you!" begged loyal subject. It was looking quite amusing: arbiter, although much smaller than king, was clearly dominating with body constitution over lean lionesses. He was taller and maybe even one and half weighty as she. But from his, not her, neck was floating a two streams of blood. Maybe not serious, but painful reminders of recent fight.

"Raia, leave him alone." Ordered ruler. "Taka, go up!" he pointed a path on Golden Massif top.

"NO!" called both Raia and Kota. Each one was afraid about her beloved lion.

"That must be ended, here and now." Said Taka, slowly following Dhalimu.

"You know the law!" added king. "You can't interfere. If we die both, throne will go to... e..." he looked on Taka with questioning stare.

"According to the tradition of Golden Pride, feminine succession is not allowed if there is some male descendant. But I guess, there I not, because apart of Dahabu, who is already king, there are no Golden relatives in Lions Lands. I think that Mtanga, as a mate of Amali, cousin of Dhalimu, should assume the throne."

"Well, excellent! Just in case: be ready to bring here that Mtanga." Smiled king. "Taka, Taka, Taka... some times you prove to be really useful. I will kill you with genuine regret."

"Your generosity, your highness, is beyond my reason." Snorted arbiter with irony. "But let's go." And they both started again into path's direction.

"My lord..." whispered Raia.

"What you afraid of, you stupid weeper?" growled Dhalimu. "I will kill him in a minute!" Kota gasped. "Soon I will rid off of that haughty claimant."

And he went to path with perfect calmness, leaving lionesses in alley. Raia followed him with her stare, until he disappeared behind rock-corner. Then she shook her head, blinked her watery eyes, looked on Kota and said seriously.

"My friend... hug me, probably for the last time. Most likely soon one of us will come to hate the other."

Goldenfurred obediently went closer and nestled to Raia's side. She whispered something unclear and froze by sandyfurred side. They remained that way for long minutes, until stops on rock-path fell silent. King and price got to the top. Lionesses came few steps back, looking each other in eyes.

"I will miss you, Raia." Said Kota with grave voice.

"I know..." replied sandyfurred. "But we can't help it. I love you, you rebel..."

Meanwhile lions climbed on top without a word. Steep sloped of Golden Massif were over hundred meters high, but then it turned in flat plateau. Rock-square had in the widest place about two hundreds and fifty meters. In north-south axis it was a bit shorter: about hundred and fifty meters long. Although that most of area on plateau was rough and scatter with cracks there was enough room for fight. King and price chose a plat square in centre of massif. Nearby, on one of the borders, were lying remains of Niva's body – then just a skeleton, cleared from flesh by previous sandstorm.

"Have you killed her?" asked Dhalimu.

"WHAT?!" yelled shocked Taka. „Of course that I haven't!"

"That's good." Murmured king. "So you will die quickly and almost painlessly. Ready?"

Blackmaned nodded his head and took a defensive position. He based a weight of his body on front-left paw, ready to block enemy's blows with right. "It won't work if he strike on me with all his mass. But at least he won't get me in fist blow." He thought and took a deep breath. He lowered his head, ready to dodge and was looking on adversary with careful stare. And Dhalimu was standing straight, as if he was ready not for fight but for some royal ceremony. Disrespectful attitude towards enemy was clear and in that Taka put all his hope.

"Many of move, shun and run. I'm trying to lure him closer to the edge and maybe..." but in that moment a stronger blow of wind awoke king from reverie. Dhalimu roared dreadfully and asked.

"Are we going to fight?" and seeing nod of Taka, added. "You first, usurper!"

"So there will be no touching speeches?" asked blackmaned, slowly coming to enemy. "You don't want to know what I'm for?" when he got the range of firm pounce, he started to circle adversary. Dhalimu didn't move an inch.

"Probably the same, what wants every stray." Replied king. "The power. Or just Kota. But she is the part of my pride and will be a queen. I won't let her go with some rogue. Fight, if you can." Added a bit impatient. "And if you can't... just jump down from here."

Taka breathed in deeply, still circling the ruler. He was waiting, but for what he couldn't tell. Front-right paw, ready to strike, was aching with demand to be careful. Taka wasn't scared but he was thinking intensively. "That is impossible to win with him. But I must!"

He pounced suddenly, unexpectedly even for himself. In some moment his muscles outran command of brain and before prince understood it, he was floating in the air in Dhalimu's direction. He didn't even try to hit. He just bounced with paws on raised block of enemy, hoping that extended claws would do some damage. He had right – one of the claws plunged in the fur of brownmaned. But he didn't continue that attack – he instantly jumped ahead to land two meters behind enemy. He rushed further, expecting an immediately Dhalimus' reaction and he had right. King pounced after him and landed on rock ground two second after Taka shunned. "He is fast!" thought arbiter marvelling at moves of heavy adversary. "Almost as fast as me."

But there was no time to panic. Taka landed by the Niva's funeral stone and started to withdraw to the boulder. That time ruler wasn't waiting for claimant's move – he just jumped again with stretched paws. Guided by war-instinct, or just by a spark of luck, Pridelander fell down on the ground and rolled aside. Dhalimu hit with paws in funeral boulder, but easily absorbed that blow and rebounded from it, landing next to Taka. But that doge of adversary drove him mad.

"And that is the plan." Thought blackmaned, shunning next charge. "Let him lose his temper and get closer to the edge..." Avoiding the incoming blows, he was carefully trying to make dodges in south direction, closer to the nearest edge. But in the same time he was aware for not to show king his trap. "I must attack too, although it is useless. And there is some chance I would wound him and slow him down... And thanks to that he would got even more furious." From the east blew a stronger blow of wind, forcing Taka to make a solid correction. "Or maybe lady Zira is supporting me in that way?" he thought.

He pounced one more time, trying again to rebound on blocking enemy's paws. But this time it went wrong, because he succeeded – unprepared Dhalimu hadn't raised his paws to shield from charge and blackmaned's claw plunged into fur on king's neck. Amazed prince cowed his rear paws and hit with them too – he hit the raising limbs of Dhalimu and cut his shoulders. Then he fell on right side and rolled few meters more to southern edge.

Surprised king roared with fury and even didn't let the prince to stood up. He pounced on lying Taka and flew over him, hitting his back with all his paws. Shocked Pridelander nestled to the ground, but knowing that inertia meant death, he rolled aside. Right, closer to the edge. "How much more? Fifty meters?"

That time Dhalimu happened to be closer to the bluff, so Taka jumped on him, even without aiming. He missed horribly and that was his luck – Dhalimu was ready to intercept enemy and only with amazement watched on lion when he landed over a metre next to him. Blackmaned passed his adversary, jumped ahead, then turned to the king. Brownmaned was not there – lion was jumping on Taka with opened jaw and ready paws. Prince wouldn't manage to shun him, but the attack missed. Dhalimu's charge hit just rock two metres further and Taka hit king's side. He snapped with teethes on ruler's shoulder, but he had enough cold blood to get loose enemy after that fast bite. Dhalimu automatically answered with swing of paw, missing Taka's muzzle by centimetres.

"Wind!" thought arbiter. "Wind blew him away. Zira has to help me..."

He was still withdrawing to the bluff, less and less keeping the pretences of normal duel. That because Dhalimu was more and more furious. He stopped to aim his charges, just jumps in pounce when he landed after previous one. Suddenly blackmaned didn't manage to shun it, so with desperate try he intercepted mass of king with raised paws. Dhalimu was a heavy lion, so Taka failed to push him aside. Prince just a slightly corrected a flight of enemy, so ruler landed few meters behind him. "Two meters closer to the edge!" thought arbiter almost triumphantly.

He ran several steps aside, that he started on south once again, that time also in enemy's direction. Simultaneously he felt a bolt of pain in paw. Dhalimu had had to cut him in previous charge. Wound wasn't too deep, but it made his moves harder. Blackmaned clenched his jaws and pounced on the king. "Further!"

He landed with heavy effort. The growing wind pushed him aside from intended route and brutally threw on the ground. In that moment he was far from Dhalimu, and what was worse, brownmaned left a tactic of pounces, hard to aim in the wind and started to march into prince's direction, stomping firmly on the ground.

"Not here!" gasped Taka in mind, seeing as enemy set off to north-east, almost against the wind. That was easier for monarch – although he had to fight with element, he wasn't endangered with directions disorientation. Blackmaned decided to stop adversary from that.

He started to run to the bluff, hoping that Dhalimu won't pounce against the strong wind. And he was right, although it didn't helped him too much. Because Taka lost his balance and pushed by some stronger blow fell on the ground. Seeing that king was running to him, he rolled aside in enemy's direction. With his body he tripped amazed ruler, to instantly feel all his mass on his back. "Ow, that's the end!" yelled Taka in mind. "I got trapped in point-blank!"

Dhalimu triumphantly roared and raised his paw. Then he swung it with crushing strength. But instead of yell of price, sounded yell of king. Brownmaned missed terribly, hitting the rock with claws. Thanks to surprise, Taka pushed enemy from his back and jumped on open space. He wanted to pounce on south, but actually he flew on south-west. Heavy wind, a gale in fact, sidetracked jumper's body. Taka landed hard, then turned to expecting attack. And froze.

The wind wasn't helping him. The wind was bringing death.

Due to almost perfect darkness arbiter didn't see everything. But the wall of sand closing with dreadful speed was unable to ignore. Hit of sandstorm was speeding from east and wandered knew that he wasn't able to stand it. The same as few hour earlier he had imagined own body, torn apart by grains of sand and being thrown like antelope's carcass by merciless blow. Instinctively he closed his eyes, although he knew that eyelids are useless against that fury. The last picture he saw was a capture of pouncing Dhalimu and a sand-wall swallowing Golden Massif. "A draw!" thought lion, preparing to die. He managed to hear a yell of brownmaned and nauseating sound of crackling bone in awkward, forced by blow landing.

And then the pain exploded.

\/\/\/

"NO!" screamed Kota and Raia.

Lionesses were standing in Acacia Alley, looking up with terror. They had been so busy with staring at dead edge of bluff, that they had been completely ignoring symptoms of growing storm. Fortunately for them the heart-shape of Golden Massif and cover of trees shielded them from the first wave of element. In one second they were standing and looking on rock's top and seeing a cloud of dust coming from behind massif, in next they were lying on ground, pinned down by blow of wind.

Raia was on top – she was pressing Kota to acacia's trunk. As the first she stood up and with heavy effort pulled her friend with paw. Storm was screaming too loud to overscream it, but goldenfurred understood without a word. They had to reach the cave before next wave of wind would blow them away. "Taka!" thought terrified Kota, slowly marching, based on friend's side. "My lord!" yelled Raia in mind, but she was walking still. Actually, none of them wanted to reach shelter but to get to the stone wall. From that they could go to on path on top.

Lionesses simultaneously hit with heads in wall of massif. Without a word they started to march not to near cave's entrance but along rock, with wind. Storm was hitting hard but thanks to concave shape of Golden Massif friends were partially shielded from rage of desert.

"Here?" Kota called a question.

"This part of track is shielded from the wind." Screamed Raia. "On west slope we have a chance to climb."

She should have said: slightly better chance, because even on leeward slope odds of successful way were minimal. Even for fully healthy Kota – goldenfurred was much too weak to climb. Hobbling Raia couldn't even dream about what way. In spite of that, she was going.

Cold logic of both females was screaming: they are both dead! You have no reason to risk! But friends were decisively stepping on path up, ignoring growing exhaustion. Finally Kota took a lead, knowing she was in far better condition. She reached with her tail to Raia's mouth – sandyfurred took it with gratitude. Then they were at least sensing each other, in spite of decreasing visibility.

So they reached the west wall of massif. There they felt a great relief of cover. Almost running they started to climb ahead, quickly taking a save way. In just three minutes they got to north-west bend of rock. Before them was a last part of route, a narrow way, hit with content sand-mayhem.

„You won't go there." Judged Kota.

"You too." Replied Raia and they both set off to sandy death.

They stood even longer that they should – they went over four meters windward until raging waves of dust stopped them. But exactly in moment when Raia fell down, sandstorm ceased. Suddenly and without warning the wind stopped in one second. Lionesses climbing on path held their breathes for few seconds, than panted with relief.

"Raia... it's over!" whispered amazed Kota.

"Run!" replied lioness, standing up. And she yelled painfully. "My lord!"

They went lest meters of path and got to the top almost simultaneously. Kota as the first but Raia just a second after. Both started to search with terrified stares for fighters on that dead plateau. Somewhere, under that layer of dust. As the first screamed goldenfurred.

"TAKA!"

She started to run to sandy-drift, from under which was seen a black mane of lion. She got to beloved and started to digging him out from the gravel. In the same time she was creaming like a possessed.

Raia was watching this and an analytic voice of her reason called to tell her friend that Taka was probably stunned due to storm and such screams won't reach him. But she didn't even listen to own mind. She was running to the centre of plateau, looking of silhouette of beloved king.

"Taka, say something!" cried Kota, but in the same moment sandyfurred saw Dhalimu, lying by some big boulder.

"My lord!" she called, although she already knew that her ruler had a limited chance to hear her.

When she reached the lion she heard a burst of Kota's cry, but she ignored it. She looked with motherly tenderness on brownmaned, but then she turned out her stare with shock. Ruler was unconsciousness and his front-right paw was broken... or better to say: smashed. His ulna and radius bone almost had torn the fur from inside and only thanks to lucky coincidence the limb of king was still in one fragment. But for now – useless fragment.

"My lord... you paw." She bended down to beloved. "That paws you were keeping your justice..." Dhalimu moaned in pain but for lioness that sign of life sounded like the most beautiful music.

Meanwhile Kota was standing over Taka, unable to make any move. Each time she reached with paw to beloved, fear was paralysing her. She was too afraid to hurt arbiter even more. And for the worst wound she could do nothing.

Miraculously, blackmaned had all bones intact. Almost whole body was unwounded, even unspotted. Of course, except of muzzle. Whole face was downing in the one giant pool of blood. Eyes and forehead of arbiter was a archipelago of deep wounds, maybe whole one wound. Shocked lion felt no pain, probably he felt nothing. He even didn't notice of Kota's coming, because he was still screaming curses and randomly swinging his paws with extended claws. After a longer while he had to sense his beloved because he felt silent and laid motionlessly on the rock. He was alive for sure. But sure was also he gone blind.


	13. XIII The ruling Hearts

XIII

XIII. The ruling Hearts

Next day woke lazy and a bit uncertain. Dusty clouds were still dimming the sky and thanks to that sun wasn't burning wounded lions – then: trapped on Golden Massif plateau – too hard. But the weather still reminded about constant danger – light wind was blowing and another sandstorm was in the air. Nether Kota nor Raia hadn't enough courage to watch on horizon and observe dark shapes that grew on it. There they could see the coming end for theirs lions.

"My lord, listen to me..." was whispering sandyfurred gently, as if the mother to her cub. In the same time she was holding a gourd and king was drinking. "You must rest and sleep as long as you could. The sooner you come down from the massif, the better." She barely repressing herself from looking on east horizon. "The storm might be back."

"First of all I must finish Taka." Replied ruler. "You said he is still alive..."

"Yes, he is alive." Confirmed lioness. "Severely wounded. My lord, ignore him. You are in danger!" Suddenly, touched by obvious idea, bended to brownmaned's ear and whispered. "If you order me, I will kill him..."

"No!" roared Dhalimu. "That is against the Law of Challenge... Besides..." He based on left paws to raise to head higher. Raia gasped, fearing he might fall, so she immediately support his side. "...if Taka is alive, I bet Kota is guarding him all the time. Just like you are guarding me."

And then sandyfurred understood whole risk of her plan. She could kill arbiter easily – she knew he was blind and completely helpless due to that. But before she would get the wandered she would have prevailed Kota. "For you, my lord, I would even kill my beloved friend." She thought. "But I can't risk. I'm too weak, still partially disabled. Kota could win with me and then you would be defenceless." She looked on west part of rock where was lying Taka, nursed by goldenfurred.

Fact that both lions survived sandstorm was a miracle. When sand-clouds had hit the massif, Dhalimu was pouncing on arbiter. Blow had thrown him on the ground and had dragged him several meters to giant boulder, standing over plateau. So king was lying about twenty meters from south and over hundred from east edge of plateau. Hard landing cost him nasty break of front-right paw, but no much in addition. Taka wasn't so fortunate.

The lighter of lions had been tossed up by sudden blow and then dragged on the rock surface almost on the western edge of massif. Because he almost instantly fell on the rock his injuries wasn't too numerous – few scratches of paws and belly. But his main, the most dreadful, wounds were heavy cuts on his face. Speeding sand, even through shut eyelids, wounded his eyes and scattered fur on blackmaned's muzzle. Kota could just lick those cuts from sand and pus to prevent the infection. But there was no chances for him to regain the sight. And being blind he was unable to go down from narrow path of massif. Every time goldenfurred thought about this, disobedient neck turned her head to the east. But lioness closed her eyes not to the coming doom and to not know how many time left.

"I'm sorry, Kota..." whispered Taka. „I'm so thirsty..."

"Right, my love." Replied lioness instantly. "I will arrange it with Raia and we will go down for more water."

"Why do you always go together?" asked blackmaned but then he understood why for it was. "Oh... Raia seemed to be so nice lioness."

"She is a wonderful friend." Said Kota honestly. "And I love her. But because I love her I know her well. I know she is waiting for opportunity to kill you. Quite reasonable thinking, because if she wouldn't with Dhalimu I would have..." Taka interrupted her with painful gasp.

"It all have gone wrong!" he yelled. "That shouldn't be! Instead of peace, my attempt brought only more hostility... We should have both died in that storm. It would be much better that to be cause of that..." he waved his paw in random direction. "...all. Leave me here and convince Raia to leave Dhalimu. In fact, we both have failed."

"I can't leave you." Whispered Kota, nestling to lions' side. "And I know that Raia won't leave her king."

"And you know what is most amusing?" asked Taka after a while of that caress. "We even can't determine who has won. I admit: the sandstorm came to save me, but technically the duel is still unsolved. We disabled and wounded each other, so for now we have draw... in such situation the Law tells that lion who as the first leaves the battlefield by his own, wins..." He looked with his dead eyes in direction where he expected that the path down was. He missed about thirty degrees, but Kota had no courage to say him that. "But it rather an idiotic problem. I know I won't leave this rock."

"You will!" said goldenfurred wit decisive voice. "Just give me some time and I'll fix something..."

But then came Raia, proposing the way down for water. Kota gasped, seeing as her friend broke the unwritten pact, forbidding her to get closer than thirty meters to Taka. So with huffed voice Kota ordered Raia to go back to west path and to meet her down. Sandymaned understood the anxiety of friend and obediently fulfilled her instruction. They met in Acacia Alley where all the hostility between them ceased. They entered the cave with gourds, greeted by surprised stares of whole pride.

"You must go hunt." Said Raia. "King must eat, we must eat..." seeing curled lips of Kota, she added. "And until the duel is unfinished, we have to feed also Taka."

"You are staying?" asked Simmi.

"Or we both are going with you. But I prefer to stay..."

"We will manage." Assured her Akra. "At least for now." And she whispered to Simmi. "Get Kauli here. Maybe he would know whet to do."

And hundred meters above them a strange dialogue was taking place. Taka, in spite of his perfect blindness, thanks to gentle wind managed to recognize the four quarters of the globe and then he crawled to one of the boulders on plateau. When he climbed on it, he was on altitude of higher terrace, where was lying Dhalimu. King, seeing the efforts of enemy, decided to help him. He crawled few meters, leaving from behind his boulder and stopped before the deep crack, that he couldn't pass on three paws. But he was so close to the adversary that they hear each other, at least when they were shouting.

"I see you are still alive, you stray!" Dhalimu cheerfully greeted arbiter.

"I hear you are still prattling, you freak!" replied blackmaned. "That's good. I won't be bored here, thanks to your preaches.

"And I heard you are completely blind and helpless. I could finish you with one blow." Talked brownmaned down.

"So come here and do it..."

"Well... for now I'm unable to walk." Replied Dhalimu with airy honesty. "But I'm working on it..."

For a while a dead silence fell over plateau but right after then both lions burst in loud laughter. For fighting ones whole absurd of their situation turn out to be clear. Cold hostility melted in one second, turning almost into friendly solidarity of wounded warriors. Of course the reason of their fight didn't cease. If Dhalimu some how was able to walk he would have run to kill his enemy. If some magic power would return Taka's sight, he would have marched to finish his crippled adversary. But probably without that blind hatred he had felt day before. And when Raia and Kota returned with water, they rebuked harshly theirs lions for such cubbish behaviour. Then lionesses dragged them back to prepared acacia-brush beddings, licked theirs wounds and comfort them, according to theirs powers.

Slowly the dusk was coming. Hunting team was still on desert but storm was also still far from Golden Sands, so four of its residents could think about pride with ease. Apart of walks for water that got Kota and Raia away from wounded ones, they all were staying in calm waiting for unknown. Although Taka was lying not more that fifty meters from Dhalimu a difference of altitude, roughness of plateau and cover of two big boulders secured a privacy for both adversaries. King and Raia took a centre and eastern part of massif and arbiter with Kota was ruler of the west. Borders of that two kingdoms were strictly kept by subjects of both rulers (there were two subjects – one in Taka's and one in Dhalimu's domain) and every international visit was regulated by detailed diplomatic protocol. But the greatest problem was the sleep.

"How we will do that, Kota?" asked sandyfurred. "Maybe we lay to sleep in the centre, side to side? None of us could wake unnoticed."

"And maybe we'll just promise each other that we will do nothing nasty, huh?" proposed goldenfurred.

"Are you sure you will fulfil that promise?"

"Well... no." confessed Kota. "But we'd better sleep with our..." she didn't say 'lions' nor 'mates', although she meant that. But she didn't want to distress her friend. "Dhalimu preferred me than Raia. I can't remind her, she is not king's mate." Thought goldenfurred. "With ours... I am the light sleeper. And you?"

„Right. Let's guard. Each one with her..." They went to wounded ones.

Sandyfurred was returning to Dhalimu uncertain and with fear in her heart. The awareness she was going to spend a night next to her beloved was exciting but also dreadful. "I shouldn't to." She thought. "I'm just his subject and he rejected me as his mate." But the duty was stronger than scruples. "My lovely Kota would kill him five minutes after I go down. I must guard him."

"My lord..." she asked shyly. "May I watch over you?" Dhalimu raised his head and looked on lionesses, pulling face with amusement.

"Of course, you may. You may also kill me, leave me to die from thirst or paint my fur with cactus-juice. You may do it all, because I'm a little indisposed."

"I'll try not to disturb you." Whispered sandyfurred, laying down behind nearby boulder. She had been expecting that, but she barely repressed her tears anyway. Over the plateau fell silence, that last for few minutes. Finally Dhalimu said.

"Raia... are you sleeping?" asked with shyly, almost cubbish voice.

"No. I'm watching over you, my lord." Replied lionesses.

"Is there comfortable?"

"It's good place to stand on guard." She said.

"But.. but..." he fell silent for a while, looking for appropriate words. "But could you... if this is not a problem... come to me. I have much too much brush for one bedding."

Raia barely repressed a yell of joy and amusement. She stood up and ordering her muscles calmness moved to ruler. In the same time she was carefully observing the western part of massif, making sure that she would have good view to stand sentry. With relief she saw that king's bedding was also not bad observation post.

"I'm here, my lord." She announced, sitting next to brownmaned.

"Here..." invited lion, moving a bit aside and making room on his bedding. "Of course, if you want." Lionesses shyly laid down by his side. "Good..." said ruler. "Now tell my, why are you doing it."

"What, my lord?" she asked, but Dhalimu looked on her with piercing stare, so she decided that further evading is pointless. "He is so handsome." She thought. "Even now – wounded and weak. Maybe now he is even dearer to me, because he is closer." So she answered. "I do what I should. I love you, my lord."

Monarch was considering that reply for long while, carefully watching subject's face. Finally he asked uncertain.

"As a ruler."

"As a ruler, too." On plateau once again fell silence. And once again it was broke by loud laughter, that time of king himself.

"Now it doesn't matter." Announced Dhalimu, as if lioness knew exactly what he was up to. "But I must say I admire you, Raia."

"My lord..."

"That all has come wrong!" gasped king. "I watching the world like through the mist, sham and unclear. And when I'm seeing it clear, there is probably too late for change. I'm so sorry, Raia. I should have made you a queen long time ago. I was searching far what I had always so close... Maybe you would have saved me from my errors that I've made, ruling the pride."

"You are wonderful king!" sobbed sandyfurred. "And you will be. With Kota by side or anyone who you chose. Sleep and rest my lord. You have to recover soon..."

"I guest I have already recovered, at least on mind." Murmured ruler. "And on sight. Have I said you, you are beautiful?" Confused Raia shook her head. "You see – another thing that I forgot..." Suddenly he closed his eyes and clenched his jaws, as if unexpected memory struck his mind. "I hit you!" whispered with disbelief. "And then... and then, punishing for Niva's offence... NO! not for any offence... Just for my whim! Will you forgive me?"

"Don't say it, my lord." Sobbed lioness. "I was never angry on you..."

"But the others were..." noticed Dhalimu. "That drove Kota to mutiny... Although she betrayed me, I betrayed her earlier. She has right, I shouldn't be king..." He hushed Raia's objection with wave of paw. "If not duties of my blood and memory of my father, I would deposit the kingdom in Taka's paws... here and now. But I can't! I must win with him and hope you help me to mend all my errors and make me better ruler. And... will you help me?"

Sandymaned, drove by sudden impulse, raised her head and licked cheek of her monarch. He just smiled.

"As you wish, my lord." Said lioness. "I will be with you, as long as you want it."

"Oh... but no 'my lord' from now on." Corrected her lion. "If you call me Dhalimu, I will believe you want it."

"Dhalimu..." whispered Raia and they lips met.

"Ups... bad moment!" gasped Kota, who just had come from behind the stone.

"Kota!" smiled king and instinctively and a bit shyly moved back from subject. "I have already missed your endless and mutinous purling." Lioness tried to answer with some biting reply, for example: about punishing paw of king, but she froze with riposte on her lips. In Dhalimu's voice she heard something amazing and unheard earlier. An irony.

"Forgive me Raia. Sir..." she said slyly. "I have some request to you, your highness."

"Your highness?" murmured brownmaned with surprise. "And where is your revolutionary zeal?" But he said it without malice, almost with fondness towards subject.

"Unless the duel is over, you are my king, sir." Said lioness uncertainly.

"Go straight to the business, girl." Hastened monarch. "If you are so kind I guess that request is rather serious."

"Yes... My lord... I humbly beg you to free me from allegiance sworn as a Golden Sands subject and then to grand me marriage with Taka the Second of Pridelands."

Silence. Loud breathing of Dhalimu, Kota and Raia.

"And why, the hell..." roared furiously ruler, but suddenly he fell silent and finished with laughter. "...not? Oh, rabies! What's the harm... Good, let it be. But you know that when I recover, I'll try to make you a widow..."

"Well... In that case I wish you to recover... happily ever after." Replied Kota and whole trio burst in cordial and airy laughter.

Finally Dhalimu waved his paw and goldenfurred kneeled down before him. It wasn't required to ceremony, but because king was unable to stand, Kota thought that she had to lower herself to monarch's level. Brownmaned put his left paw on her forehead and with amused voice announced.

"You are the free lioness, Kota of Golden Sands. No oaths bounds you from now on, you rebel!"

"From now on I'm not a rebel but a constructive opposition!" replied Kota with joy. Trio laughed once again.

"Good... and now the marriage." Murmured Dhalimu. "I should perform the ceremony in person as the ruler of this land. So get back to your stray and lay your paws on each other's neck... Taka said that is symbolizing the ultimate devotion of mates. Required formulas I will shout from here. Even if you don't understand what I'm saying, when I stop, call 'yes' and then it will be done. Understand?"

Kota nodded her head and ran to arbiter. With radiant smile she laid down by lion's side and nested to his fur. They joined in heavy hug and when indistinct shouts ceased, they called loud 'yes'. Then Kota laid on rock, murmuring with joy.

"Stars! I'm so happy tonight!" she said finally.

"Me too..." agreed Taka. "I know I should tell it right now... But don't expect that our happiness last too long." She froze, still hugging him. "I'm blind, but my others senses are right. I know that storm is coming. Maybe Dhalimu has some chances to go down by path, but I have not."

"Hush... I will fix something." Assured him goldenfurred, although she had no idea what she could do. "You'd better sleep."

"And you?" asked lion.

"I'm guarding because Raia is guarding too." She replied. "Our marriage haven't finished that duel. Dhalimu would rather die that break his word. For him the law and custom are sacred, at least the letter of law. With spirit... there was various with spirit..." suddenly she looked in blind eyes of her mate and asked with hope. "Taka... would you want to have a cub with me? Let call him to this world here and now..."

"We will conceive an orphan..." murmured blackmaned. "Kota, I would like to... want as nothing also on this world. But you know that..."

"Maybe, that is our last chance." Interrupted him lioness. "I'm not afraid. And you also don't have to be afraid." She kissed him and whispered to his ear. "I want to give you one more reason to live."

Song: "Don't be afraid". Melody is merry and romantic.

Night, quite dark, small number of stars is seen through the veil of dust-clouds. Capture from the air on Golden Massif's plateau. We see Raia and Dhalimu, lying in hug on south edge of rock in the middle of its width. Kota and Taka are on the western end, next to the path down. Zoom-in on goldenfurred and arbiter.

They are lying still, clearly exhausted with love-caresses. On their faces an expression of joy is seen, although on Taka's muzzle we may notice a tone of anxiety. Together with cruel wounds of his eyes it makes a strange contrast with smile. Kota licks arbiter's cheek, carefully not to irritate his injuries. She sings.

First verse, Kota:

_Don't be afraid about tomorrow, if today is still today_

_You will find a strength to manage, I will help you if I may_

_Let's with hope we stand together and look further than sees fear_

_Believe there is a some 'forever' better than the today's here._

She lays on back and looks on the sky. There, from behind clouds more and more stars start to shine. She points them to Taka, suddenly freezing, when she realize he is unable to see them. But lion turns his dead eyes up and smiles with her, as if he actually is seeing them.

_Don't be afraid of clouds on the sky, because storm is also rain_

_Water will quench our thirst and wash us, there's no harm in little pain _

_To grow higher, to grow stronger, we must stand this endless test_

_Don't be afraid and came to me, we'll do what could we do the best_

Zoom-in on paws of the couple. Taka's claws are extended as to fight, but under Kota's touch it hides to pawpads. Lions are caressing each other paws.

Chorus, Kota:

_Don't be afraid – because you're still_

_Don't be afraid – it's just a life_

_Don't be afraid – cause I am here_

_Although world fails, we will survive_

Again a zoom-in on the sky, we see the shooting star. Capture of Taka's face – he opens his lips in amaze, as if he sees what happens. View from blackmaned's perspective: a dark space, but somehow few bright points lights. Of course this is not physical vision – but spiritual vision of his ancestors. Taka imagines Vitani, Tanabi and Zira, looking from the sky with pride.

_Don't be afraid – fears matters not_

_Don't be afraid – but faith is all _

_Don't be afraid – there is no 'but'_

_The love is loudest future's call_

Camera goes to Raia and Dhalimu. They are lying on backs, side to side and also are looking in stars. On king's face is seen delight and amaze, as if he has never seen that before. Paws of couple join in the air and caresses tenderly.

Second verse, Raia:

_Don't be afraid about dead past, tomorrow it'll be gone_

_Will be no sins, will be no fears if we realize how much we own_

_Don't be afraid if you don't see, your heart knows way in fact_

_Just throw away what now you shame to keep you pride intact_

Zoom-in on Dhalimu's face. In his eyes we see memories from times of his rule – Niva's funeral, scene when he sent pride to hunt in storm, exile of Taka, he, hitting Raia. Smile on his face fades, but seeing that, Raia licks his cheek (on words: 'I may'). Joy returns to lion, visions are gone.

Dhalimu:

_Don't be afraid, cause all my faults are as dark as this night_

_But night is only day's prelude, my wrongs will turn to right_

_With every day I will repair all what I did to you_

_If you help me then I may to make a world a new_

Again a capture of Taka. Carefully he stands up and sits next to mate. He blindly searches for her with his paw than gently puts it on her belly. She laughs. Music fades out a little, but still is in the background, paying a tune of verse.

„I feel that will be the son." Announces Kota. "Brave and handsome as his father. Future king of Golden Sands."

"A descendant worthy of my beautiful queen." Replies proud Taka.

Music fades in to normal volume – louder tune of verse.

Taka stands firmly on his paws and looks with dead stare down, on Acacia Alley. He imagines as if a whole rank of Old Rulers of that land stands there. On the end he sees himself and further a tiny cub, reassembling him and Kota.

Taka:

_Don't be afraid, the fear is fool, we're wise enough to go_

_Although the darkness before me I sense the brightness so_

_If God allow I'll make my way wherever we want to_

_To reach our aim, to reach our fame – there's nothing we can't do_

Camera raised up to the sky, finally we see all four of heroes. Then cut to mixed capture of faces of Kota and Raia, lying next to theirs mates. Lionesses have similar expressions of joy and relief.

Chorus, Kota and Raia together:

_Don't be afraid – because you're still_

_Don't be afraid – it's just a life_

_Don't be afraid – cause I am here_

_Although world fails, we will survive_

They sing; '_Don't be afraid_' - Raia, the rest of line with a little thinner voice – Kota. In background another stars fails.

_Don't be afraid – fears matters not_

_Don't be afraid – faith lights the dark _

_Don't be afraid – there is no 'but'_

_The love is brightest future's mark_

Music stops, and camera goes up. It's directed down and oriented to south. That why in some moment – when all massif is seen - we see the shape of heart.


	14. XIV To die, but to die hard

XIV

XIV. To die, but to die hard

There is a place on the sky that no living one could see. Scar was waiting there for Zira and Vitani. He knew they were about to come, as well he knew about many others matters of sky and earth. As the sky-arbiter he had to be well-informed.

"You already know..." he greeted mate and daughter. "I'm so sorry..."

"Dad... You knew?" asked crying Vitani. Although Ancient Ones rarely show earthly emotions, dead queen of Pridelands was sobbing. Scar came to her and gentle nestled to her side.

"No, but I sensed that." He replied. "Taka is the one who will fulfil the round of Circle. As Tanabi said: for every good we must pay dearly."

"Mom?" whispered blue-eyed Ancient. Goldenfurred went to daughter and stood between her and sky-arbiter.

"I didn't know, but I also sensed what could came from this." Confessed Zira. "Forgive me."

"I asked you for help myself." Sobbed Vitani. "And what I would tell him, when he come to us? That he died because of incompetence of own mother?"

"Your son is still alive." Noticed Scar, looking on wounded Taka, who was lying on Golden Massif's plateau.

"Is there still some chance for him?" asked at once both Zara and Vitani.

"Everybody dies, sooner or later." Said sky-arbiter. "But he has to fulfil his duties before that. Duties to the pride... to his future kingdom. He must defend it, as the real monarch. And if he has to die... he must die hard." Finished Scar with calm voice, although he was barely repressing own emotions.

\/\/\/

On next day both adversaries woke almost at the same time – both late. Sun was already high over horizon and warming wounded ones. Provident lionesses covered lions with improvised veil made of acacia brush. In normal weather it would give nothing against desert heat, but under clouds of heavy dust on the sky, it made a descent shade.

"Taka!" called Dhalimu, climbing on boulder.

"How nice you remember my name!" replied arbiter.

"You have galled me so much, I would never forget it." Said king and laughed airily. "How the wedding night?"

"Definitely too short." Confessed blackmaned. "Dhalimu... Thank you."

"Save it, usurper." Snorted monarch, but he was still smiling with embarrassment. "I did you a good turn, but it doesn't mean that I won't kill you."

"I know." Replied Taka. „I'm thanking just for yesterday."

When they heard returning lionesses, without waiting for bitter scolds of Raia and Kota, they went down to own beddings. Mean breakfast and few draughts of water tasted them as no other meal in life. Especially Taka praised the meat brought by Kota.

"Delicious... You know, since I can't see the world, I could sense it better with the other senses. With taste also." Goldenfurred froze for a moment, touched by unpleasant remind of lion's disability. But then she bended down to him and kidded him.

"Is this also tasting better?"

"Much better."

And when arbiter finished to eat and drink, lionesses looked around, as if she was afraid of presence of Raia and started to whisper with emotional voice.

"Taka, listen to me, there still is a hope. For you girls fixed some lianas and made a kind of harness. We will tie you and that way guide you down..."

"If I fall from path that harness won't save me, but I will drag you down with me."

"I'll ask Akra and Beluwa for assistance. I'm sure of theirs loyalty to you..."

"That is the transgressing of the Law of Challenge." Whispered Taka.

"Understand!" yelled lioness. "The Law of Challenge is dead and cruel custom, relict of old times. And you have to live!"

"For any price?"

"For any... NO!" suddenly cried Kota. "I know, I made you to challenge Dhalimu. That is my fault I have dragged you into this and you wounds hurt me more than you. Let me mend that..."

"No, Kota." Sounded a voice from behind. „Taka is right."

"Raia! You eavesdropped us!" gasped goldenfurred.

"I was going here to ask if you want the rest of meat that Dhalimu didn't eat." Murmured irritated lioness, putting a addax haunch on the ground. "But I see you don't trust your friend... and maybe you have right."

"I'm sorry, Raia, but what you heard is..." replied still angry Kota.

"Listen to Taka." Interrupted her sandyfurred. "Dhalimu will never break the rules of duel and he counts that his adversary won't do it too. Do you know, what he ordered to me? He wanted me to swear that I won't avenge him if Taka somehow win." Ashamed Kota turned her stare to the ground. "And I wished to say you that. But now, good day. I'm out of here." She turned back and set off to the centre of massif.

"Raia! I'm sorry!" called goldenfurred."

"No offence taken. I understand your nervousness." Replied dandy lioness with hollow voice. "But let me calm myself before I will accept your apologies."

"Oh, what a lioness." Murmured Taka. "She would be almost as good queen as you..."

"So… won't you go down with me?" asked Kota for the last time, without hope to convince him.

"I'm sorry, I can't"

"Oh, reliable as always." Murmured lioness with resignation. "I love you also for that."

\/\/\/

Mtanga was leading Amali on the Limestone Alley. Although princess wasn't good wanderer and rogue also can't say that about himself, they made the most of way without problems. They had a luck – during the sandstorm Mtanga found small pan where they waited until wind ceased. Also the storm was significantly weaker than in Golden Sands region.

"That is not so far." Rogue assured his mate. "I have to leave the route to find my boys. Will you get there? It's about five kilometres north."

"I thought they are already in Golden Sands." Amazed princess. "Mtanga, something strange is going here. Aren't you hiding something from me?" Rogue replied even without slowing down.

"You will see there. Just... things are going very wrong in Golden Pride. And your brothers asked me to help that pride."

"Is that dangerous?" asked scared lioness.

"No, I don't think so. I hope we'll reach your aims without real effort." Said Mtanga. "But go now."

So Amali went. Many questions were on her mind but she had no one to ask. Beside of that she trusted her mate, who had never given her a slightest reason to be suspicious. "Good luck, Mtanga, whatever you intend to." Thought goldenfurred and speeded her steps in way to cousin's land.

She reached the Golden Massif about two hours before sunset. Instead of greeting she met a silent group of lionesses, returning from hunting. Golden Ones were tired and thirsted and heavily scared. Amali shivered seeing the grimaces of fear on theirs faces. Quickly she came close to one of them, greyfurred, who was leading the team.

"I'm Amali of Pridelands. I came to ask my cousin Dhalimu for hospitality." She announced uncertainly. "Where is the king?" Team-leader, not loosing her prey, pointed with stare on Massif's top. "A... and my brother, Taka the Second also should be here. Where I can find him?" Lioness once again pointed a plateau above them. "I don't understand... What is going on here?"

"Come inside, ma'am." Invited her one of the younger lionesses. "We will explain you everything... what we understand."

\/\/\/

"That's all we know for sure." Baridi was finishing his report. "Dhalimu and Taka are still alive, however both severely wounded. One lays next to western end of massif, second in the middle. Lionesses are in cave, clearly confused. What will we do?"

Four of lions was waiting on dune, about kilometre from the Golden Cave. They were unseen from foot of massif, but they could observe the edge of plateau. Sharp eyes of rogues saw Taka, lying on western bluff.

"We're going in." instructed Mtanga. "Do you see? Lionesses don't react."

"That is the Law of Challenge..." threw Hofu.

"No!" gasped rogue-leader. "They are indifferent for tyrants fight. For them the is a little difference between reign of murderer of own mate or reign of power-thirsty usurper. We must get rid of them both."

"But... but..." yelled Udole. "Taka? Does Amali know what you are planning?"

"I'm sorry, my friends." Replied Mtanga with voice so gentle and sympathetic, that rogues instinctively lowered their ears. "We have no choice. We must restore the peace and justice in that poor land. And we will do it today!" he hemmed and turned his stare on Golden Massif. "You are going on east path and finish Dhalimu. I will deal with Taka."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am." Smiled Mtanga. "This war will end tonight."

And muffling his triumphal laughter he started to run down from dune. Blood-red sun was setting and long shades of tyrannocides were seen on sand.

\/\/\/

Taka sensed something bad in the air and instantly started to listen out. Kota and Raia went down to the cave for another portion of water, so he stayed alone with Dhalimu. In fact all of this wasn't matter because arbiter knew about coming wind. That night a mighty sandstorm was about to come and finish what its successor had started. "Well... Dhalimu still has some chances." Thought blackmaned. "If he finds some real shelter and has a luck... This is not a bad ending – he has changed. With Raia at his side will be far better ruler that he was. And if she raise king's cub for to be good successor, the kingdom will survive. But what would happen with Kota and our cub?" He raised his head higher and sniffed evening air. "No... there is something more to come."

"Dhalimu!" he called with powerful voice. "We must speak." And he started to carefully climb on stone nearby, to brownmaned was able see him."

"I'm listening, you usurper." Replied ruler. In his words the hostility was strangely mixed with tone of sympathy and respect towards enemy. Taka thought the he would never understand Dhalimu. "What do you want? You sense that wind?"

"Sandstorm is near." Agreed arbiter. "We must convince girls to not stay with us, when that all will start. That is a great risk." In reply Dhalimu laughed, almost friendly.

"Of course, Taka. When they will back I'll try do send Raia off. But don't count that I will able to order anything Kota."

"I know, I know." Said blackmaned. He was silent for a while and then added. "So the kingdom could belong to Mtanga... Well, so it happens that he will be here soon. You know... He thinks that you have killed Niva. If you survive to his arrival, tell him all..."

"I won't explain myself to some stray from..." growled king, but suddenly he gasped with amaze. "And how the hell he knew about Niva's death?! He was never here and we haven't sent any messengers with that news!"

"Oh, Stars!" yelled Taka. "So how he knew how she died? It's..." He stood up heavily and looked with his dead eyes on king. "Dhalimu. We shouldn't have fought."

"Of course, we shouldn't!" replied brownmaned instantly. "But it is all because of your lust for power and..."

"No, you don't understand." Said arbiter. "We shouldn't have fought EACH OTHER!" Growing wind enblew his mane. Dhalimu, looking on that from distance, had to admit that Taka was really looking like a king. Even there: wounded and weak he was sparkling with majesty and self-confidence. He turned his head to south and announced with firm voice. "Now I understand everything. Too bad that now is most likely too late. Dhalimu, look south and tell me what you see."

"The desert. Cute, but a bit monotonous..." said king. "I guess that its always looks like that, so you might imagine... No, wait! Four lions silhouettes, coming down from dune. They split... One is going more on west, three are still marching straight... To the massif." He turned himself to Taka. "Those are the real enemies?"

"Dhalimu! Help me!" asked blackmaned. "Guide me to the path. Only there, in narrow mouth, I could defend myself."

"There still is the second path." Noticed king grimly.

"You will guard there." Explained arbiter. "And you will defend as long as you last."

"Lionesses..."

"They won't hear us in this wind." judged Taka. „But maybe Raia and Kota manage to return to us and then alarm the pride. However I don't think it would help. If rogues get here and place on paths, they would stand even thirty lionesses attack... Dhalimu, guide me!"

"Good... go down from this stone... Right... Now ahead, two meters. On bluff you will go faster... You are trusting me, usurper!" gasped with clear amaze, seeing how obediently Taka was following his orders. "Now I could lead you to your death behind the edge..."

"You could." Agreed Taka. „But then I will die only for you, not for Golden Sands. I count on your reason."

"Stop!" called Dhalimu. "You are on the brink. Now turn right... a bit more... Now straight ahead, until I tell you to stop. More... more... Stop!" shouted king, when blackmaned reached the path. "Good look Taka. Don't you dare to die before you get some of those rascals."

"Now you must go to eastern path! Now!" hastened him arbiter, while he was placing himself in narrow mouth of way down. "And good luck, you too." Asked with whisper. "I hope we won't die in vain."

So Dhalimu started to run on plateau, moving his paws with heavy effort. His front-right paw he had to hold high, not to irritate the recovering break. Unfortunately it was slowing him significantly, so lion was often looking on closing three silhouettes, who was marching to the massif.

"I must get there on time!" he thought with determination. "I'm king because of my blood... but just today I have an opportunity to became the real king, because I defend my pride. Raia, I'm doing it for you! Father! Mother! Give me your strength!" Recalling his royal parents he speeded up. He was jumping on three paws, risking the fall, just to get quicker to path. Suddenly he was struck by amazing thought. "I'm wounded, paw hurts me like hell... I'll probably die soon. But I fell happy, as I felt never before. What could want more? I'm the king and I'm fighting for my land. Somewhere down there my queen is waiting... Stars! If every pleasure have to finish just a moment after it have started?"

\/\/\/

"What you mean by: Mtanga? What rogues? What they are doing here?!" barracked Raia and Kota each other. Amali still didn't understand whole situation, so she tried to tell what she knew. Princess was in the royal cave, surrounded by Golden Ones.

"My mate came to you to save you from Dhalimu." Finally said Pridelandress. "He will avenge death of your queen and..."

"Dhalimu didn't kill Niva!" a new voice in cave interrupted her. "The murderer issss now trying to kill again." Added Kauli. "Forgive me, I understood it sssso late, but... Raia, Kota... they both are in danger."

"Pride!" ordered sandymaned with wilful roar. "All you have to search for those rogues. Kota and I will go up to guard king... and prince." She finished with unexpected soft voice.

"Kauli is in charge!" added goldenfurred. She raised python and put him on Akra's neck. Then she run out of cave, following Raia.

"As usual." Called sandyfurred. „You go on west, I'll take the east path."

They spilt and speeded to own patches. Because the wind was blowing hard, numerous globulins of dust were dramatically reducing the visibility. Suddenly Kota noticed a silhouette of lone lion, closing to way up. She caught him and pounced on him with extended claws.

"STOP!" she roared.

"There is no time!" called Mtanga. "Let's go up, they are already there... Rogues! They want to kill them both!" Kota yelled, and lowered her paw, previously ready to strike. Plotter added. "I can't see. Lead the way!"

Kota was afraid only about Taka. So she without hesitation passed the lion to get on path. Blow of Mtanga hit her in nape, instantly stunning her. Wanderer smiled and pushed away body of unconscious lioness.

"What is why I always let the ladies to go as first!" murmured and run uphill.

Meanwhile Dhalimu got to the path in last moment, because the first silhouette of enemy appeared in cloud of dust. When he saw it, instantly took a defensive pose. Amazed Baridi stopped in front of ruler, wagging his tail to warn rogues coming behind him. Then he called with dreadful voice.

"Tyrant Dhalimu – your time is over. We are here to bring back the order and justice."

"I have no idea who you are, but you are even more cheeky than Taka!" growled brownmaned and without a warning pounced on rogue.

Baridi jumped aside, almost falling from the patch. Dhalimu landed awkwardly on way, between enemy and stone-wall. With front-left paw he hit adversary's side, three others paws put firmly on the ground. Baridi fell on the path and his rear paws helplessly hang over in the air behind the edge. King smiled, raised his left limb to the final blow, when in his back hit Hofu. Wrestling enemies rolled up the way, getting to the plain of plateau. Udole, coming as the last, quickly pull his friend on ledge and they both joined Hofu.

"You have no chances, despot!" cried Baridi. "Surrender and you will die quickly!"

"I don't like to hurry." Murmured brownmaned and unexpectedly pounced among rogues. He landed on three paws, almost falling down. Thanks to his impetus he knocked down Udole then attacked Hofu. He bite his side and fall with all mass on lion. Surprised wandered hit the ground and Dhalimu caught his paw in jaws. Furious stare of monarch was screaming: Now we will equalize our chances!

But before Dhalimus jaws crushed enemy's limb, Baridi came with assistance. He his ruler's side, on brown fur cutting four cuts with his claws. Lion also grabbed with jaws paw of king and started to mercilessly clenched his mouth.

Angry Dhalimu got Hofu loose and pulled bitten limb. Surprised Baridi fell down on rock then barely avoided monarch's pounce. Crippled king still was fighting in royal way. Probably he would have reached Baridi's throat, if not Udole's charge.

Lion had steeped away from companions to aim his pounce better. He set himself on perfect windward from Dhalimu to use nature's help in combat. He jumped when enemy shook Hofu off and started to third of adversaries. Udole hit with paws in Dhalimu's nape. He grabbed victim's fur on neck and thanks to impetus they both fell on the ground. So they both froze on the ground, wrestling hard. Rogue wanted just to stopped enemy until his friends do their job. So after few seconds over the king glimmered extended claws of two tyrannocides.

"Die, you brute!" gasped Baridi, and suddenly he was thrown to the ground.

Raia pounced on rogue, driving him over two meters back. In the same time she bounced on pushing body and jumped on Hofu. Confused and partially blinded by sand lion didn't blocked that attack and fell on the rock with deep cuts of his front paws. But lionesses haven't been continuing her charge. She jumped aside, looking for Baridi. Seeing that rogue was standing up, she charged on him.

Meanwhile Dhalimu stood up, in spite of Udole's grab. He hit him with quick blow and rushed to two others intruders, who were just surrounding Raia. He overturned Hofu, but he landed awkwardly, basing on disabled paw. Knitting bone miraculously stood that trial, but brownmaned gasped with pain. Anyway – without slowing he lowered his head and Udole, pouncing on him, flew over and disappeared in clouds of dust.

"Raia!" called king. "Get out of here! Gather lionesses and finish them off, when they will be coming down."

"My place is by your side, my lord." Said lioness, nestling with right shoulder on right shoulder of lion. That way they were covering themselves from both sides. "My place is by your side, Dhalimu." Added and roared on incoming Hofu.

Rogue noticed in eyes of sandymaned something what forced him to lower his paws and stop. He was looking not on tyrannized and abused victim but on proud lioness, who was defending her beloved monarch. All what he had heard from Mtanga was covered by that stare, full of love and care. The anger that had been previously keeping rogue in steel grip, got loose and his mind asked a hundreds of questions that he hadn't answered earlier.

"I won't let you kill him!" cried Raia, looking on returning Udole.

"No, you won't." agreed Hofu. He looked on his companions and ordered. "Stop! Don't kill!"

Wanderers froze.


	15. XV The Royal Song

XV

XV. The Royal Song

Taka saw just a pitch-blackness inside of his mind. The other senses were receiving perfectly the east wind, hardness of stone surface, tapping of sands grains hitting rock and the smell of incoming storm. Unfortunately, his sight was unable to show him the most important information: from were the enemy was laughing at him.

"I'm impressed, Taka." Murmured Mtanga with poisonous irony. "Your acting was even more stupid than I expected... You challenged Dhalimu. Well, I'm not crying about that, because you have wounded him, so me and boys have easier work to do."

Arbiter recognised that rogue was walking on the edge of plateau. He was marching slowly, but Taka knew that he was just careful. His brother–in-law set himself perfectly – blinded blackmaned had no chances to get to him unseen and Mtanga could easily dodge the sudden charge. "And when he dodge me, I will fall beyond the brink." Thought.

"So..." enemy continued. "As you probably know, I will be the new ruler of Golden Sands. You should have been happy – your sister is to become a queen."

"You killed Niva!" gasped Taka in moment of dreadful clarity.

"Taka, Taka..." murmured Mtanga. „That is a past. Now we must think about the future." Although blackmaned couldn't see it, he sensed that his brother-in-law stood up, turned to him and points a sneering stare on arbiter. "Soon you will die!"

Furious Taka pounced ahead, not thinking about consequences. He flew to the edge and stopped just before the brink. Of course, Mtanga was no there. He stepped aside of charge or he had never been there – due to wind Taka could be distracted.

Lion grabbed the rock with claws and jumped back. And there – unexpectedly – he hit the side of enemy. They both were surprised – laughter of rogue faded in second, but after all Mtanga reacted as a first. He hit brother-in-law with paw in nape. Arbiter was pushed back two meters, fortunately – away from the edge – and awkwardly fell on the rock.

"So you want to play a blind man's buff?" murmured enemy. "Good, that actually might be quite funny."

"You've killed the queen!" growled Taka. "You did it in person or by your sidekicks?"

"Sidekicks? You offend my boys." Replied Mtanga with laughter. "Understand that they believe they are doing all of this to liberate Golden Pride from tyrant's paws, not to gave me the throne."

"Come on, say it louder!" hasped arbiter. "Maybe they will hear what you are planning."

"No, they won't." said rogue. "Wind is howling to loud and we are on leeward. Actually..." he added, coming to Taka and hitting his side. "...it's time to finish that farce. This blasted wind is even worse than all this sand all around. I hate sand!"

"You should have thought about it before you have chosen the kingdom to conquer." Murmured Taka and in the same second another attack cut his right side.

Mtanga was everywhere, at least for blackmaned. In whistle of wind he was able to move unheard easily sneaking to his victim from behind. He could see, although the omnipresent dust had to decreased that advantage it was still a great advantage. "If I stand a bit longer to the main sandstorm's hit our chances will get equal." Thought Taka but then a malicious voice in his head added. "Of course that they will get equal, because you will both die!"

For a while arbiter was considering a possibility of withdrawing to Dhalimu, but then he left that idea. King could be dead then, and additionally the blind march through plateau (in the heat of storm!) wasn't easy. And it would took much of time. Too much – the incoming storm was faster than arbiter.

"Why, Mtanga?" Taka decided to play for time. There still was a hope that lionesses would come with assistance. "That is my duty to guard the kingdom. I'm fulfilling it the best I can... although I know it still not enough." He thought.

"You know nothing!" said rogue with unexpectedly soft voice. "You are the king's son, raised in luxury and respect. How could you understand what feels an orphan and outcast?"

"The loneliness, humiliation and rank injustice." Replied Taka, recalling to mind every feeling he experienced during his escape from home. "And what is the most important: the burning need for revenge! On anyone, doesn't matter if she or he is guilty." He heard that Mtanga stopped. He sensed some vague bolt of attention that enemy put on him. "And what now? You will avenge on me? The same outcast as you?"

"You know nothing!" gasped his brother-in-law again. "That was just in beginning. Then I met Amali... and whole world has changed. She gave me the strength and will to live. Thanks to her I believed in myself and in my might."

"If you are doing it for Amali, think: she would be quite displeased with death of her brother..." jeered Taka.

"Shut up!" called Mtanga. "Amali will be the queen not because she is princess but because I want that! Now I will be the king, I instead of you all will be setting the rules! I'm stronger than you all. I was starting from zero to reach the stars! I was lying in mud and now I'm standing where I'm standing."

"Coordinates, please!" murmured Taka, raising his paw. "I can't see you clearly, I could miss..."

Mtanga ran to brother-in-law and pushed him on the ground with blow in nape. Then he stopped over lying lion and with malicious smile on face started to slowly cut his back with claws. Pain deluged Taka's senses, but it didn't make him scream. One who has lost his eyes, survived the sandstorm in open air and many timed said goodbye to his life wasn't able to scream nor beg for mercy. That part of arbiter was probably already dead.

"Don't you get it?" growled furious Mtanga. "That is the end! I will be the king, not some aristocrat from high family. I, Mtanga of Cut Trunks Pride. Once I was no one, now I'm the everything! I am the future! The play is over, Taka!" lion plunged his claw in arbiter's paw and started to drag him on edge of massif, farther away from path, on south-east. When he got almost to the centre of plateau he let his victim loose, panted heavily and looked on close brink of bluff. Stronger and stronger wind was blowing the chocking clouds of dust.

„See it" song. Melody is fast and uneasy. Mtanga sings with high-pitched, ironical, theatrical voice.

Mtanga drags Taka almost to the edge to big, flat boulder. The stone looks almost as a stage, especially that dusty clouds dim almost everything else. Only Mtanga on the stone and Taka on the 'auditorium' before it is seen. Blackmaned with effort raised his head and turns his wounded face on brother-in-law, as if he was watching his 'play'. From beyond the clouds shines a faint rays of moon. It enlightening the rogue, like a theatrical reflector.

Mtanga:

_I doubt if you see it – time to open eyes_

_Time to end this pitiful show that once joined us_

On words '_I doubt if you see it_' Mtanga maliciously cover his eyes with paw.

_You are leaving scene now, I will play intact_

_There is end of common part, cause you'll die in this act_

On word 'act' he leans out from scene to Taka. Blackmaned tries to hit him, but he misses terribly.

_Those are our masques, those are our roles_

_You this time so down, alone, I will rock this show_

On words '_I will rock this show_' Mtanga raised his paw and points the moon.

_You are king no more, now you're playing fool_

_If you want applause at all, be my useful tool_

On words '_you're playing fool_' Mtanga hit with his paw in wound on Taka's eyes. He spreads blood on blackmaned's cheeks, making a round spots, similar to clown's make-up. Arbiter hit Mtanga's limb and rogue draws back in pain. With fury he hits powerfully Taka's head. His claws cut a wound on his brother-in-law's forehead.

Chorus:

_Voice is full of pain_

_Blind and helpless strain_

_Weak as cub and dumb as cub_

_But you won't grow again_

Mtanga stands up then he jumps down to Taka, circle him with triumphal smile. He doesn't notice that blood floating from arbiter's wounds cakes hair of his mane – a bloody plica looks like a crown.

_Is that our lord?_

_Sharpest justice's sword?_

_Ruler of those fertile land_

_Cannot raise his hand!_

Mtanga pushes Taka in side – blackmaned falters but doesn't fall. Rogue parodies the ceremonial bow and in that moment arbiter hits. His paw comes over bowed Mtanga's head – rogue laughs with malicious laughter.

_Lo on sacred, shining throne_

_I think it is gone!_

He points on 'scene-rock', where a blood of prince splashed. Then he hits Taka in cheek – arbiter steps back few steps, awkwardly blocking with right paw.

Second verse:

_Years the last in backline fate made me to be_

_But I knew that will come time, it came, as you see_

Mtanga again climbs on rock, in the same time hitting with end of his tail in Taka's cheek.

_I will play the bigger role, because I am big enough_

_You this time so down, alone, now I have the stuff!_

With triumph he jumps up, for a while stands on rear paws and front ones. He raises up a victory gesture. Scene is turning to Mtanga's vision: rogue is standing in front of Golden Pride, who is giving him a bow.

_So bright shine of royal gowns is already mine_

_Smile of fortune, crowds of fans – all come in time_

Vision fades away, the reality of sandstorm returns. Taka with effort comes to 'stage', putting his front-paws on rock, trying to climb up. Mtanga steps on his limbs.

_All the pride will gather on my imperious paw_

_Die you fool, don't dare to bother king whom all will bow_

Rogue bends down to brother-in-law and hit him with head. Taka fells back.

Chorus:

_Voice is full of pain_

_Blind and helpless strain_

_Weak as cub and dumb as cub_

_But you won't grow again_

Mtanga stands on the rock and grabs sands, brought by the wind. He throws with pawful in Taka's face, what clearly brings serious pain to prince, when dust gets to wounds.

_The leader of mine?_

_Blood of ancient line?_

_He is bleeding out to death_

_Cannot rule his breath!_

Mtanga thrown another pawful and freezes with outstretched paw, pointing on Taka. Arbiter sits on the ground, bleeding hard from face. When sand gets to his mouth he coughs and a new portion of blood comes out of his lips.

_Lo on sacred, heaven-sent_

_Reaching for his end!_

Mtanga ends with powerful call and hit arbiter's face with clenched fist.

Music stops.

"And what now, my prince?" asked Mtanga with poisonous voice. "I will be the king!"

"No, you won't." panted Taka and his brother-in-law narrowed his eyes. "You are playing ruler, but you won't be the real one. Never! Sitting on the throne doesn't make a real monarch."

"No." agreed Mtanga, looking from rock on arbiter. "But my wit and reason do." Only Taka's laughter answered him. "And what you laughing at, you fool?"

„You are the fool!" growled prince, still chocking because of laughter. "You are only playing monarch. Do you know how to know the real king?"

"No, but you will tell me."

In prince's head many voices were calling. In darkness of his senses suddenly shone well known silhouettes of parents. They seemed to show him one direction, ahead of Taka. And lion understood that he was actually seeing – flat boulder before him and Mtanga on it. Cold determination gripped prince's throat. "Yes!" whispered some voice in his mind, so similar to Zira's. "You are the real king and you have a sacred duty."

"We could know the real monarch when he gives his life for his land." Replied Taka and slowly stood up on four paws.

"Well." Smiled rogue. „It isn't so easy to notice."

"Always..." arbiter crouched on rear paws. "...it could..." he clenched his blooded eyelids and stretched his aching muscles."... be..." He raised his tail to recognize the direction of wind. "...PROVED!" and he pounced in usurper's direction.

Amazed Mtanga saw only that from sandy cloud appearing a silhouette of jumping lion. Face of Taka was bleeding but rogue was almost sure that in place of ripped eyes were gleaming two red stars. The stare of the king, who was administering the royal justice.

Arbiter hit the sitting lion with serious impetus. He inflicted no blow, just set his paws to final push. He picked brother-in-law from rock and they both flew further in sand clouds. In spite of omnipresent dust, gliding Mtanga with terror saw the brink of bluff, mercilessly receding from them.

And then they both fell down.

\/\/\/

"No, you won't." repeated Hofu with hollow voice. "You love him."

"That is quite obvious, usurper." Said Raia, baring teethes. "He is my king. Mine!"

Rogues stepped back, as if they were hit by this statement. Hofu and Udole looked uncertain on Baridi. Lion was silent for a longer while, then he whispered to lioness.

"We wanted to save you from this tyrant."

"First you have to kill us, one by one." Replied sandyfurred. "That is the way you wish to save us?"

"But we..."

"You are getting the throne for Mtanga." Gasped Raia. "I hope that. Because if you really believe that you may kill the king and reign all as the rulers – without laws and hierarchy... your minds have to be saved. You are mad."

"Not Mtanga killed your queen." Yelled Baridi. "That was Dhalimu."

"Liar!" growled lioness. "I trust my king... and Baka, who was with him that evening." Rogues stepped back even further to path, turning theirs stares into the ground.

"But if not him... who did it?" whispered Udole. "No..."

"We are damned, brothers!" sobbed Udole, and all three turned back and started to run the path down.

And on plateau was just Dhalimu, supported by Raia. Pair was for longer while looking in sandy darkness, after escaping intruders. But then lionesses understood what they have to do. She hugged her beloved tighter and whispered.

"We must go, my love. That storm will kill us."

\/\/\/

Pride gathered before main entrance to Golden Cave on the Acacia Alley. Although storm was growing stronger and stronger, Golden Ones were waiting, looking on desert with hope.

"They are no here!" reported Simmi to Kauli, who was hanging on Akra's neck. "The sandstorm is growing, so we can't see any pawprint. But we found unconsciousness Kota, next to western path. She will be all right, but..."

"But they are already on the top." Whispered Akra and started to run to way up.

"Ssssstop" called python. "Now issss too late! Dhalimu and Taka have to manage their own."

Terrified lionesses froze, looking on massif's top, dimmed with sand clouds. And then some dark shape fell from there, hitting the ground in before their paws.

"Mtanga?" yelled shocked Amali and rushed to twisted bodies.

"TAKA!" screamed Kota, barely opening her eyes. Two lionesses grabbed her and took to two lions.

Mtanga fell as the first one on sand of alley. Life instantly left the broken body in moment he reached the ground. Amali run to lions but froze, seeing that on her mate was lying her brother.

Taka was still alive, but even quick look on wounded one showed that arbiter was doomed anyway. Rogue a little amortized the fall of blackmaned but prince was bleeding from numerous wounds and his paws and ribs were smashed. From mouth a stream of blood was floating and barely taking breach was mixed with bloody coughs.

"Stars!" yelled Amali.

"Forgive me, sister..." whispered Taka. "He wanted to hurt us all."

Lionesses fell down and burst in laughter, nestling to both mate and brother. In the same moment lionesses noticed three silhouettes of lions, standing in clouds of dust and looking on events in alley. Akra set off, extending her claws to attack rogues, but Kauli stopped her with hiss.

"Taka... why? What happened?" cried Amali.

"I had to." Replied Taka with weak voice. "Do you believe me?" his sister nodded his head. "Don't judge him too hard..." he stopped to cough with blood. "He wanted to make you a queen."

Kota came to beloved from the other side and with motherly care draught his body from dead rogue. Arbiter was lying on the sand and breating with effort. But he was smiling airily.

"Taka, you saved us..." cried Kota. "But you can't die. Not now!"

"Not now, not yet." Agreed lion. "Kings are dying hard. Where are... Oh, they are here."

"King!" sounded a amazed roar.

Lionesses turned to east to see Raia and Dhalimu, running, or maybe better to say: hobbling to the pride. Brownmaned lion got to dying enemy, raised his paw and terrifying gathered ones, he lowered it on Taka. He stopped his limb over the forehead of wounded one.

"You won, Taka." said Dhalimu. "According to the Law of Challenge you won the duel. As the first one you left the battlefield by your own." Seeing amaze of Raia, he whispered her to ear. "Forgive me, my love. But I must be obedient to laws. And you will be my queen anyway." To pride he roared louder. "Listen to me! I, Dhalimu of Golden Sands, profess that Taka the Second prevailed me in duel. I deposit my crown to him."

"Right in time!" whispered Taka. "Well... actually you don't like to hurry." And he burst with laughter, what caused another wave of blood from his mouth.

"Save you strength, Taka." Advised former king. "You have to announce that."

"But Dhalimu..." yelled Kota. "He..."

"Female!" roared brownmaned. "You have stirred enough. Let the males to do what they have to do."

Taka narrowed his dead eyes and pride gasped, thinking he was passing away. But he was just gathering strength, looking with eyes of his soul on Acacia Alley. The spirits of Ancestors were standing there, looking with pride on descendant and successor. Thanks to that the new king managed to swallow bloody and dusted saliva and roared with all his might – louder that growing storm. The sky helped him, giving a powerful thunder in the same moment.

"That'sssssss the king!" hissed Kauli and Golden Ones bowed theirs heads. All, except of Raia.

"Right, you not." Whispered Taka. "You have already your king and nothing would change that." He turned his muzzle to Dhalimu. Although he couldn't see brownmaned he was sensing his presence clearly. "Forgive me, my friend, but you can't stay here."

"I know." Replied lion. „I lost this kingdom long ago. But I demand that you all will treat Raia as the queen. She became the queen yesterday on plateau."

"Of course." Said Taka. "I won't see to it, but I'm sure..."

"NO!" interrupted lioness with decisive voice. "If Dhalimu leaves I will leave as well. I'm going wherever my king goes." Brownmaned looked on her a bit surprised. His lips seem to whisper: you don't have to. "I'm going with my mate. I must and I want." She nestled in Dhalimu's mane.

Kota was still lying next to her beloved, crying but also carefully looking on blooded face of Taka. He sensed that because he turned his muzzle to her.

"Are you sure, you are carrying our cub?" asked and when she nodded, he continued. "Are you ready to raise him to be the Golden King?"

"Taka..." she yelled, but in her voice confirmation sounded.

"Listen to me... until my child will be mature, Kota will rule as the Golden Regent. Is that clear?" among gathered ones sounded murmurs of agreement.

"Taka, do something with those rogues." Reminded Dhalimu.

"Oh, yes..." agreed king. "Are they still standing there?" he asked, pointing with muzzle on desert. Pride yelled from amazement, because blind ruler had no chance to see the trio. "Bring them here, until storm will bury them..." When rogues came in shameful silence to wounded monarch, he said to his sister. "Will you stay here or you will go with them?" hearing amazed gasps of lions, he added. "Why are you surprised? Do you think that I should have punished you for Mtanga's crimes? Go your way, just never spread such a mayhem as you did today, right?" once again he looked on sister. "Amali?"

"I can't stay here." She replied with breaking voice. "Not after what happened to Mtanga. Forgive brother."

"My lady, we will take care of you!" called Baridi with decisive voice. "Of course, if you want that..."

"Go, sis..." whispered king. "Start everything once more... And if you ever go home... tell Dahabu... that I will be watching him from the sky."

"Farewell, brother." Said Amali and stood up. She instinctively nestled to Baridi's side.

"That's all?" asked Taka quietly.

"I think so..." replied Dhalimu. "But I'm not sure. I wasn't the best king..."

"Right... so it's done." Whispered Taka. "Listen to your queen, my subjects. She will guide you in hard times. Kota... I love you."

Goldenfurred closed her eyes and nestled harder in mate's mane. She was remaining that way for long minutes, unless she was sure that in king's chest any spark of life is burning. Then she stood up and pricked up her ears. Wind ceased in one moment and from beyond the cloud a new star appeared on the firmament.

"A gift, my love?" whispered Kota into darkness.

Slowly, lazy but also decisively, drops of rain started to fall from nightly sky to meet the earth. They were dropping on amazed lions and lionesses, making more furrows on faces. But this time there were happiest furrows than ones after tears. After three years of death to Lions Lands the life was returning. With death of king Taka the Second the Second Drought was finished.


	16. XVI Epilogue – The Brave Old World

XV

XVI. Epilogue – The Brave Old World

Rain was hitting sand with unexpected might. So much water on the desert hadn't been seen for years, so Golden Pride froze in amaze, in the same degree touched by death of their new king and the miracle that followed it that they were sensing on own furs. Finally Busu raised her muzzle to the sky and with cubbish joy started to swallow heavy drops.

"Water... how many..."

And previous cold sorrow of lionesses turned in one moment to burst of joy. Golden Ones, rogues, even Dhalimu – everybody gave a triumphal roars to rainy clouds. The younger females, who had never seen the real rain started a mad dance, with laughter stomping on fast growing pools of sky gift. Only Kota and Amali were lying next to theirs dead, unable to leave bereavement even for so amazing event. Finally Raia left companions, jumping in dance and went to the new queen.

"I'm sure he didn't want you to cry." She whisper Kota on ear. "He died also for you to smile."

"I know." Replied goldenfurred. „He gave us the rain."

\/\/\/

"Touching, isn't it?" asked Sparthi polite. Ghost was holding in immaterial mouth a nape of Taka. They both were ascending over the Golden Sands to rainy clouds. Of course desert patron was talking clearly in spite of clenched jaws. In the Sky World many of earthly laws matters not. "What a great song will be from that! Oh, I regret you won't sing it. Just think: heroic death of the king that is restoring order in kingdom. Water falls to the ground, soul goes to the sky. They pass in half a way, what could be described in very poetical way."

"E...e..." replied deceased. He didn't understand a word what his grand-uncle was talking about, but just in case he tried to moan in confirmative way.

"Don't care what I'm talking about." Asked Sparthi. "I'm talking rots just to help you prevail faster a shock of passing. If you want, I could sing you a lullaby... but no, we are almost on the spot."

"I... can see..." whispered Taka, looking down. As if the strangest thing he was experiencing was regained sight, not the fact he was flying to the sky, hundreds metres above the ground.

"How do you like it? Our home is real stunning, especially seen from this perspective..."

"I'm dead." Understood blackmaned. „Mom... Dad..."

„They are here. Look!" said Sparhi and got loose his relative from grasp.

They were standing on surface of heavy clouds, although it wasn't matter. They were everywhere and nowhere, as all Ancient Ones. Ghosts surrounded newcomer with circle of curious stares. They touched him with paws, greeting without a word.

"Taka!" finally cried Vitani. "Son, forgive..."

"Mom, I became a king!" called lion with voice of cub, proud of his first bug-hunt. Shock on his new condition confused his senses and reason, but haven't muffled a burning feeling of pride and good fulfilled duty. "Dad, I've made it!" Tanabi came to son and nested his head in Golden Sands king's mane. Meanwhile Vitani was licking Taka's cheek, crying quietly. "Mom, dad... it's over. There is no reason to be sad... I hope." He murmured, looking on Sparthi. Sandymaned nodded his head. "I am here, with you. Don't cry."

"Taka, forgive us, we pulled you into this." Said Tanabi seriously. "I can't regret that, because thanks to your sacrifice Golden Ones survived... but I hurt so much, that we allowed on this."

"Wait... there is no your fault in all events downthere." Murmured blackmaned.

"But our responsibility." Threw Zira. Golden Lioness went closed to grandson and looked in his eyes. "My dear, please, tell you hold no grudge against your parents... and me. If you are not angry on us, help us. Forgive that we did. Your dead is more painful to us than to you."

"Grandma... mom, dad..." said amazed lion. "If that were you who helped me on the way, I could be only grateful. I'm glad I could execute your plan... Help the Kings of the Past in their duties to living ones..." and than again bended down to Vitani's ear and whispered with cubbish joy. "Mom... I'm the king!"

"And a classy king, I must say!" sounded a new, unknown voice. Scar stood next to Zira and looked on grandson. "Welcome, my namesake. I am Scar, Taka the First, present Star Arbiter over Lions Lands." Dead one bowed his head and his parents went away few steps. Tears in Vitani eyes dried in one moment and on face came a proud smile. As you probably already know, your earthly way has ended today. You are among the Stars now, with us – your sky family. I as a family leader, I must say that again: the king and a classy king you are. Taka, some monarch are ruling over ten years. You were ruling about ten minutes..." in spite of serious expression, he smiled for a second. "...and showed more virtues that most of other monarchs. You defended the Circle. The drought ended thanks to you. Rains are back."

"If Golden Sands..." asked blackmaned with anxiety.

"Taka, that is no longer your concern." Interrupted him Scar. "Trust the living ones, as we trusted you. They will manage. The brave old world is back."

\/\/\/

Dhalimu was saying goodbye to lionesses for a longer while. Mainly he was apologizing and they were thanking him. Every female, even the most humiliated once by the former king, found something that she could be grateful to the lion. Raia was silently praising pride-sisters for generosity. "Now I can admit it." She thought. "My love was a poor ruler. But they were great subjects. Thank you, girls." In the same time she was listening to Kota.

"Forgive me, Raia, but it must be that way." Said the new queen. "Dhalimu was ruling here and who once was the king, will save his majesty forever. So there is no room for him in this pride. But we will remember him... without anger."

"I know it and I'm grateful for that." Replied sandyfurred.

"Raia... I will miss you." Suddenly new monarchess burst in tears. And cuddled to friends side.

"I will too, Kota." Murmured lioness. "But I must follow my king, wherever the Circle will guide him. I will remember you... and Taka." Nestled queen nodded her head. "But don't make this farewell too long. We both have our duties to do."

"I know... Farewell, my friend." Said Kota, steeping few steps back from sandyfurred.

"Farewell, you rebel!" murmured lionesses and they both burst in laughter. "I love you."  
Then she went to Dhalimu, nudged his side and they both set off in rising sun's direction. Hobbling lion was supported by side of mate – they were marching slowly. She didn't hurry him, just with smile encouraging to further way.

"Look!" whispered brownmaned. "So many flowers... They have grown so quickly. As if they were waiting all that time to sprout in rain. They are so beautiful as you are." He looked in Raia's eyes.

"Yes, they were waiting." Agreed lioness. "Maybe even for years in drought to blossom today. But let's go. The world is waiting for us."

She nudged her mate in side and started again due east. Although she was a monarchess of non-existent kingdom, she was as happy, as she had been never before.

Akheri

The ending song. We see the subtitles with credits, thanks list... etc. In background we see further, silent scenes of movie. 'Vitani's lullaby' has a merry tune and easy rhythm, making easier to remember lyrics.

We see scenes in fast-forward – a capture of Golden Sands and a fragment of desert from air-perspective. From soil a countless flowers grow and cover the area.

_All wise lions of Golden Sand_

_With the desert live in league_

_They keep own, beautiful land_

_Although it's so hard to keep_

On flower-carpet walk lionesses, carrying a numerous preys.

_When they want a draught to drink _

_To clear throats from nasty dust_

_They sing song that we now sing_

_So it would spur them up so fast:_

Flowers wither, again a sand shows from below, but it is clear that Golden Sands has enough of water.

_For two paws quick make a hole_

_Put a bundle of fresh brush_

_Leave a gap it in (but small)_

_Then go sleep and go sleep hush_

Scenes at normal tempo. We see Akra, showing Baka how to dig dew-collecting holes.

_Just before sun rises up_

_Get your paws under the stone_

_Drink a tasty fresh dew's cup_

_Until sun would make it gone_

Zoom-in – both lionesses pull put the brush. There is some dew on it. Younger of lionesses looks on older with admire.

_Storm won't find you unprepared_

_If you can read book of clouds_

_Red on evening sky is there?_

_Morning will come with a blows_

Then they both look on horizon, where some distant clouds are seen. Akra nudges Baka in side and both go to the cave.

_So don't leave the cave, my child_

_Today much better is to sleep_

_Storms will cease like every night_

_For too long evil can't keep_

Capture of Golden Sands, enblown with strong sandstorm. Zoom-in on entrance to cave, camera goes inside. We see Kota, licking a tiny cub. Face of cub is reminding face of Taka the Second.

_All will be as once it was_

_We must just to wait a while_

_Sleep in cave till end of those_

_Soon again we could to smile_

Kota raised her head and smiles, thoughtful. Capture turns to show Raia's face. Sandyfurred is far away. Zoom-out – we see that she is caressing a cub too. Next to Dhalimu sleeps. Again, zoom-out, we see that family lives in trunk of giant baobab, that shields them from sandstorm.

In dust-clouds we see vague silhouettes of Taka the Second, Niva and Mtanga. Mtanga turns out his stare with shame, but Niva nudges his side and points son of Dhalimu and Raia. Then she smiled friendly. Rogue sighs with clear relief.

Screen fades to black, we see only the rest of lengthy credits;)


End file.
